There is No Death, There is the Force
by Superherotiger
Summary: It's been a year since Ezra's death and the crew is starting to crumble. Fear and regret polluting their minds and hearts. But the vibrant padawan once known as Ezra has a plan set in motion to save them from themselves. What does he have in mind? Read to find out! (Sequel to 'Test of Strength, Test of Mind'.)
1. A Message from Beyond

**Hey guys! I hope you enjoy the new story 'There is No Death, There is the Force'! I think (/hope) you'll like it! :D**

 **Q/A's and Reactions (For the last chapter of 'Test of Strength, Test of Mind.)**

 **Silver's Dream1- Well, he doesn't really have an age since he's dead.**

 **PsychJediPirate- Sorry! It's nothing personal, I swear! :D**

 **Guest- Don't worry, you'll find out Ezra's plan soon enough! :D**

 **CupCake- I'm glad! :D Hopefully you enjoy!**

 **Ichichi05- You're right about one of them! ;D**

 **DeviLau Hills- And so you shall receive! :D**

 **EzraSWrebels- I waited longer than usually because tomorrow I'll be heading off for camp and won't be able to update for 6 days! :O**

 **Azulablue- :'D That was so touching. Thank you. It really means a lot to me. It's you guys that keep me going, and I want you to know that I really do appreciate all of your support! You guys rule! May the force be with you, always!**

 **Anime Angel- True. When I was writing the last chapter, I was listening to 'Little Wonders' by Rob Thomas.**

 **Kazie- Hope is a powerful thing, but he is dead. He'll still be mentioned though as like a 'force spirit' but he won't be coming back physically.**

 **Coral Iturbe-** **espero que está emocionado ! : D**

 **Starwarsrebels- XD I'll watch Markiplier play it instead. It's heaps funny when he plays.**

 **Warrior Angel- I'm glad you enjoyed, and hopefully you'll like the sequel too! :D**

 **Paint the Wolf- Awesome! My fangirl is usually contained because there's no one for her to talk to. :( (Fangirl: I'll get out eventually!) XD**

 **NOOOOOOO- Sorry, but I don't think that's possible.**

 **Midnight Luna- Well, I hope this story heals your heart! (And I think you're on the right track with your idea ;D)**

 **A M3mb3r123- That's okay! :D We all get busy sometimes.**

 **SWFangirl- That's such a sweet message. :D Enjoy the chapter!**

 **Swr Guest- The force shall always be with Ezra! :D**

* * *

Kanan's POV

* * *

I sat in the common room, staring at the painting of Ezra on the other side of the room. His hair was frozen, getting combed through by an invisible wind. His electric blue eyes full of hope and joy as a small, mischievous grin pulled at the corner of his lips. In one hand was his lightsaber, the blade held gracefully by his side. Under his other arm was his modified cadet helmet. He stood tall and proud as the Lothal sun set in the background.

He was standing on a hill, but I knew which one it was specifically. It was where he was buried. Sabine had gone to the effort of adding an extra little touch that could only be picked up by the members of the crew. Under Ezra's feet, the soil was fresh as little green plants sprouted from the dirt. Under one of his boots lay a broken slab of stone, crumbling and cracked. _His grave headstone._

I sighed and shook my head. It was my fault he was gone. It was my fault everyone was so broken. If we hadn't gone into that cave…

"Hey," Hera greeted, snapping me out of my thought.

I looked up as she walked over. Shooting me a weak smile, she sat down. "How you feeling?" she finally asked.

I shrugged. I didn't really feel like talking. Especially since in one week, it will be a full year since Ezra's death… since his _sacrifice_. She leaned her head on my shoulder. "Can't sleep?"

I nodded. Every time I closed my eyes I saw flashes of Ezra's pale, bloodied face, his vacant eyes draining of life as he fell limp in my grasp. Hera's mortified expression as I walk out of the shadows carrying my dead padawan. Sabine's haunted but determined mood as she painted Ezra's memorial.

I looked up at the painting again. _Why did it have to be you? Why was it not me?_

"How's Sabine?" I asked quietly.

"Not bad, but not good either," Hera sighed.

Ezra's death had effected everyone. Zeb would purposefully try agitating the others to start a playful battle of words, but no one ever joined in. Chopper was less grumpy and actually listened to orders. Hera always tried to bring us all together, but she rarely succeeded. Though she was the luckiest out of all of us, she seemed broken on the inside. Sabine couldn't be left alone for long periods of time without having a panic attack and me… well… I became claustrophobic. It felt like the walls would close in or the roof would cave. At some point it got so bad I had the top bunk removed from my cabin, afraid I would suffer the same fate as my deceased padawan.

I rubbed my face as a wave of weakness and exhaustion hit me. "And you?"

She pulled back and looked at me with wide, empty eyes. "Could be better," she replied, her voice a hoarse whisper.

I let out a yawn, unable to conceal my tiredness. "Maybe you should get some rest hun," Hera suggested.

I was about to protest, but found myself nodding and following her advice. Before I walked out of the room, I said "Make sure you get some sleep too."

She gave me a weak smile. "Of course."

I left the common room and headed for my cabin. Once inside, I closed the door behind me and took a deep breath. My heart ached, bleeding like a fresh wound. Walking up to the bedside table, I picked up Ezra's old lightsaber. I had kept it with me, along with his cadet helmet. They were the only things I had left of him to hold on to. The object still carried many memories…

 _"_ _Thought I'd let you check it out first," Ezra grinned, handing me his new weapon._

 _I examined it in my hands. It was definitely unique, with what looked like a guard around the base. "Well it's… different. But that sounds about right for you," I chuckled. "Go for it."_

 _I handed it to him as he activated the lightsaber, a blue blade jumping to life. His eyes widened with pride and joy as he stared at his creation. Then, he looked at me and gave a small nod of gratitude. I smiled back. I was proud of him…_

I shook my head and placed the sword back on the table. Sitting down on the edge of my bed, I hung my head and sighed. _Why'd you have to go Ezra? We need you…_ _ **I**_ _need you…_

As if he'd been summoned, an unmistakable presence descended upon me, pumping hope into my heart and warmth into my body. _"You called?"_ Ezra chuckled tauntingly.

I closed my eyes and basked in his presence. When things got really bad, he would come to me from beyond, giving me the strength to continue. But I felt so weak, so _vulnerable_ at the moment. "Ezra," I whispered. "What do I do? The crew is falling apart."

He didn't reply at first. A moment of silence passed before he said caringly _"I know. I've been watching you all lately, and things are going terribly… But… I think I have a solution."_

I perked up, my eyes widening. "What?" I pleaded.

He sighed thoughtfully, before explaining _"Something is coming that will fix the crew. It will save you all from your pain and fears, but, you must be willing to accept it… to let go."_

"Let go of what?"

 _"_ _Of your fear… your pain… your memories… of everything you once had. You need to move forward, because there's no going back,"_ he said wisely.

"B-But-"

 _"_ _No buts,"_ he intervened. _"You have to do this. For everyone."_

"I'll try," I sighed.

 _"_ _Do or do not,"_ he echoed. _"There is no try."_

I don't think I'd ever hated my own words so much. The energy escaped my veins as I leaned back on my bed, my muscles refusing to move. "Wait," I yawned. "W-When is this _'thing'_ coming?"

My eye lids became heavy as I struggled to stay awake. _"Within the next week,"_ he replied, voice fading. _"Now sleep."_

Knowing that something could save my crumbling family, I smiled. I stopped resisting and fell into a deep slumber. I'd never had a better night's sleep…

* * *

 **Hey guys! How was the chapter? Are you glad the sequel is finally up? What do you think Ezra has planned? I hope you enjoyed this chapter, because it's going to be the last one for a week while I head off to camp! ;D Tell me what you thought of the chapter, I'd love to hear your opinions! :D Have a great day and may the force be with you, always!**

 **-Superherotiger**


	2. A Plan in Motion

**_A Week Later…_**

Kanan's POV

* * *

I walked through the markets of Capital City, Hera beside me. Everything was blurred, my mind adrift.

 _'_ _Within a week,'_ was the only words flowing through my brain.

It had been a week already, and there was no sign of any 'life changing' solution. And the day had finally come. One I had been dreading for a while now. It was officially one year after Ezra's death.

Clouds brewed above, the wind whipping dust and grass through the air. It was if nature itself was mourning over this unforgettable loss. My heart ached as my lungs filled with heavy, moist air. I hadn't felt so weak and helpless since order 66, and that still scarred me. I thought I had hardened my heart to resist the pain of loss… the pain of letting go, but I had thought wrong. I was a whirlwind of emotions, a destructive hurricane. Depression could flicker to anger in the blink of an eye, just as easily as it could fade into guilt or regret.

I felt a hard yank on my shoulder and turned to see a frustrated Hera. "Kanan, are you even listening?!" she scowled.

"W-What?" I mumbled, rubbing the back of my neck. "Sorry…"

She sighed, her expression softening. "Hun, I know you've got a lot on your mind and I understand that, but I _really_ need you to concentrate for a moment. Can you do that?"

I nodded slowly. "What do you need?"

"I just need you to get these supplies," she said, handing me a short list. "Contact me when you're done."

I scanned through the page and replied "Okay."

I turned to walk away when Hera placed a hand on my shoulder. "Kanan, we all miss him," she said quietly. "I know it hurts, and I just want you to know I'm here for you."

I glanced over my shoulder and stared into her gleaming green eyes. "I know." With a small nod, she walked off down the street, leaving me to my thoughts. _Let's just get this over with…_

First thing on the list: Yogans.

 _Well, that should be easy…_

Just when I was about to walk to the closest seller, a high pitched whistle sung in my ear. I looked up and around, searching desperately for the source. My first thought was Ezra, the sound so familiar to when I first sensed him all that time ago… but then again, it was also different.

My eyes focused on a cloaked figure across the street, a brown, cloth hood concealing their face. He or she carried themselves with a certain confidence, moving gracefully between other by-passes. The person walked casually up to a stall and studied the selection of foods. "Hey! Beat it street rat!" the owner barked.

"Did you just call _me_ a street rat?" a feminine voice asked, sounding offended. "Do you not know who I am? I could flatten this entire store with the flick of my hand if I wished." Their cloak whirled smugly as the figure stood straight and unthreatened.

At first, the stall keeper looked slightly shocked and a bit confused. "Get out of 'er!" he finally snapped, waving his muscular arms in a frustrated fashion.

"So _very_ sorry," the stranger bowed dramatically. She kicked the wooden planks below, out view of the owner. The structure shook slightly, but not enough to be completely noticeable. "I'll take my business elsewhere," the figure finished as one of the fruits rolled off the edge of the bench. It plummeted to the floor but stopped mid-air. My eyes widened as the floating fruit sprang into the stranger's open palm.

"And, pleasure doing business with ya," she chuckled, slipping away fluidly.

The owner still hadn't realised the stranger's little con. I smirked. _Very creative._

My gaze remained fixed on the figure who was lingering in the shadows, snacking on her reward. This wasn't an ordinary street thief. Like my former padawan, she was force sensitive. That was the only logical explanation for the events that had just occurred. I shrugged it off and went to finish my objective. Force sensitive kids were being born everywhere. What made this one any different?

 _'_ _Ezra was a force sensitive too. Why was he so special?'_ the thought challenged in the back of my mind.

I winced at the words and bit my lip, the force practically screaming in my ears. Turning back to look at the street teen, I was surprised to see she was looking in my direction. We exchanged gazes for a moment, an unseen tension thick in the air. Hesitantly, she slunk out of view, disappearing into the shadows.

I shook my head on focused on the list in my hands. This was no time to be getting distracted. Just before I took another step, someone bumped into me. It took me a second to realise it was the thief from before. "Sorry mister," she mumbled quickly, hastily scurrying away. My eyes widened as I felt my belt instinctively, and just like I'd suspected, my lightsaber was gone. I immediately ran after her, dodging past on-goers and chasing the cloaked thief.

* * *

Stranger's POV

* * *

I glanced over my shoulder to see the pony tail guy still chasing me, and gaining fast. ' _Karabast! Whose bright idea was this again?!"_ I thought furiously to myself.

 _"_ _Just trust me,"_ a familiar voice cooed encouragingly.

I wondered if I was starting to go mad. I had only been on the streets for three weeks and in the past two weeks I started to hear a voice. It always warned me of danger and would give me useful information, so I figured it was trustworthy. No one else seemed to hear it but me, so maybe I _was_ going crazy.

I stared down at the two cylinders in my hands. _'This better be worth it!'_ I mentally cursed.

Urging my legs to go faster, I turned a corner. I jumped over stalls and pushed over crates, but the man still pursued. _"Slow down!"_ the voice hissed.

 _'_ _But he'll catch me!'_ I huffed, sprinting into an alley.

 _"_ _You need to slow down!"_ it snapped aggressively. I was slightly taken back. It had never been like this before. It was always gentle and encouraging, with the hint of cockiness every once and a while, but it had never _scolded_ me before. Despite its warnings, I pushed further, rounding the next corner into another small side alley. I ran into something and stumbled backwards. "Got ya!" someone growled, grabbing me by the collar and lifting me above the ground. I clawed at the muscular hand as my vision focused, revealing a large, purple Lasat. "I-I don't want any trouble," I stuttered nervously. _Where was that voice when I needed it?!_

"You should have thought about that before you stole from us, street rat," he sneered while footsteps approached from behind.

"Zeb! Thank goodness," a voice called with a relieved tone.

I struggled to get out of the beast's iron grip as the pony tail man came into view. He snatched the strange cylinders from my hands and clipped them back to his belt. "Why did you steal from me?" he inquired, a hint of frustration in his tone.

I kicked at the Lasat aggressively. "I don't have to explain myself to _you_ ," I snapped.

"Zeb, let her go," he sighed.

The grip on my collar released and I fell to the ground. I coughed as a small cloud of dust whipped in the air, the two males looking down at me disapprovingly. _'Any time now voice!'_ I growled mentally. There was no reply. I sighed and looked up at them. "What do you want from me?"

The Lasat bent down and pushed my shoulder gently. "We don't need, nor _want_ anything from you, _Loth Rat_."

I scampered backwards, away from the imposing creature. "C'mon Kanan," the Lasat identified as 'Zeb' groaned. "I don't think this one'll be botherin' you anytime soon."

I shifted my gaze to the human male. He was watching me closely, eyes vacant. I don't know why, but something about him was… _different_. The voice had told me to steal the strange cylinders on his belt, but for some reason I still felt the urge to talk to him. Like I actually _knew_ him from somewhere. My attention was adverted to the thunder rumbling in the grey sky. A light drizzle followed soon after. _"Great,"_ I muttered sarcastically under my breath. "Nothing like a cold, muddy night on the streets."

I adjusted the satchel slung around my shoulder and chest to make sure I still had all my possessions. "Hey," a voice asked as the rain started to get heavier. I looked up to see the pony tail man, 'Kanan', still watching me. Zeb was nowhere to be seen, and had probably walked off when the rain first started a minute ago.

"What do you want?" I mumbled, returning my gaze to the bag.

"Do you have shelter?" he asked.

I looked up and raised a brow, which he probably couldn't see behind my hood. "What does it matter to you? I'm just a _'Street rat'_."

"Well," he continued hesitantly. "It looks like it'll be a pretty bad storm. And if you were interested, you could stay in my ship until it blows over."

My eyes widened. "You're offering _me_ , somewhere to stay for the storm?"

He shrugged. "But I'm sure you have something _much_ better than my ship," he smirked smugly.

I considered it for a moment, and as if urging me to accept, a lightning bolt streaked through the sky, the winding whipping my face forcefully. Kanan turned to walk away when I pleaded "Yes, please…. I mean…. if you're offering." He stopped in his tracks and glanced over his shoulder. After a moment of silence, besides the howling wind, he replied "Okay. Come on." I bolted from the now muddy ground and ran to his side.

"So, what's your name?" he asked as we made our way to the edge of Capital City.

I was hesitant at first. Could I actually trust this guy? "My name is…" I started, before trailing off. "You can call me Jet, okay?"

He nodded as we continued our journey in silence. ' _I hope I'm doing the right thing,'_ I thought to myself.

As if answering my thoughts, a soothing tune played in my mind and the familiar voice whispered _"You did."_

* * *

 **Hey guys! So, I was like, 'I'm going away on camp for like a week, and I left you guys hanging on one, unsatisfying chapter… heck! I'll make another one' XD. So, what did you think? Can you guys tell what Ezra is aiming for yet? I know some of you had it when I asked in the last story, but still, tell me what you thought, I love to read your reviews! :D**

 **I hope you enjoyed and I made it a little longer so hopefully it satisfied you. I hope it will also keep you occupied while I'm off at camp! ;D Until then! May the force be with you, always!**

 **-Superherotiger**


	3. A Guest at the Ghost

**Sorry for the wait guys! To make up for that, this is going to be an extra-long chapter! ;D I hope you enjoy!**

 **Q/A's and Reactions (Chapter 1 and 2)**

 **Ichichi05- I'm glad you're excited! ;D**

 **Janellexleo4eva- Baby?**

 **Nuyen236- I'm glad you think so! :D**

 **Kazie- XD Thanks for the compliment! :D**

 **AnimeAngek (AnimeAngel?)- You'll have to see if you're correct! And thanks, I had a great time at camp! :D**

 **DeviLau Hills- Yes, it's very sad. After all, that's a pretty big weight on his shoulders, the death of his former padawan.**

 **Midnight Luna- XD sorry! But I'll warn you, it's an emotional rollercoaster from here on out! :D**

 **AnimeAngel- Correct!**

 **Rebels Rule- Yeah, but if that didn't happen you wouldn't have this story! :D**

 **DeviLau Hills- Is he? (Most likely, yes ;D)**

 **Azulablue92- It's kind of like that isn't it? Hopefully once you get to know her better you'll like her more. ;D**

 **Ichichi05- Yeah! See, I knew some people would get it. XD**

 **YullenSunsetKitsune- Sorry for the wait, I hope you enjoy!**

 **PrincessSilverAngel- Good job!**

 **Coral Iturbe-** **Me alegro de que estés gustando hasta ahora! Disfrute del capítulo!**

 **Paint the Wolf- I'm glad you had a fun time! :D**

 **Swr guest- You'll have to find out!**

 **Midnight Luna- Yeah! Good job! #CauseYou'reAwesome!**

 **Ezravs TheEmpire- It's very unlikely for Ezra to be coming back. I made that extremely clear in my last story, but hey, I won't stop you from hoping. :D**

 **Swr guest- Thanks! I really appreciate it! Enjoy the chapter!**

* * *

Jet's POV

* * *

I shivered and wrapped my soaking cloak tighter around my shoulders. "We're almost there," Kanan informed me as we trekked up the muddy slope.

"T-Thank y-you," I murmured through chattering teeth.

The rain was really pouring now, as if someone had tipped a giant bucket of water straight on the planet. Thunder still rumbled and lightning streaked across the grey sky. Though I was still cautious of this stranger, he seemed pretty genuine. And even if it came down to it, I could probably immobilise him in the blink of an eye. So I wasn't that worried. I just wanted to get out of the cold.

"May I ask why you stole from me?" Kanan asked.

I sighed in annoyance. "No," I huffed. He wouldn't understand. Not like I could just say _'Yeah, a random voice told me to steal from you, and then get captured'_. He'd think I was crazy! _Maybe I was…?_

"May I ask why you're helping me?" I suggested, trying to divert the conversation.

He turned and looked at me, the rain soaking his brown hair and trailing down his face. "Good question. Maybe we can talk about that once we get under cover?"

I nodded in agreement. As we climbed the lip of the hill, a large shadowy figure towered over us. "Welcome to the Ghost," Kanan smirked, walking past me and towards the open ramp. A yellowish light was emanating from inside, as well as a few voices.

"Ghost… as in the 'Ghost Crew'?" I asked while running up after him.

"Mmm-hm," he replied as we stepped into the warmth. I tried to push down my awe. Everyone had heard of the mysterious rebels, but they were practically myths now. They had disappeared a year ago and were living up to their title 'Ghost Crew'. And yet here I was. Being welcomed into the same ship that once gave people hope at the very sight of it, and put a bad taste in the mouths of Imperials.

"See? I told you he was right behind me," a familiar voice protested. I looked up to see Zeb and a teenage girl in colourful mandalorian armour. She had big amber eyes that studied me carefully.

"And look, Kanan made a friend," the girl taunted.

Zeb's gaze shifted to me and his eyes widened. "Why is _she_ here?" he demanded.

"I said she could stay until the storm blows over," Kanan explained as water pooled at our feet. He walked over to the ladder and started climbing, his boots making a squeaky noise as he stepped. "Come on, I'll get you a towel."

I climbed up after him, ignoring the icy coldness seeping into my bones. The ladder led into the cockpit, which was empty at the moment. Kanan walked through the halls until we made it to a large room with a circular table and chairs at one side. Rummaging through a closest, Kanan threw me a fresh towel. "Thanks," I nodded, scrubbing my drenched face and unclipping my water soaked cloak. It fell to the floor in a soggy heap as I picked it up and tried squeezing the water out of it. It felt weird to have it off, like I was revealing an important secret. Which in one way, I was. When Kanan didn't react any more than wiping his own face with another towel, I relaxed a little and continued to ring out my dripping, black hair. My identity was a curse. The fewer the people knew it, the better.

Something in the corner of my eye caught my attention. I turned to get a better look at the wall to find a large painting. A boy was standing there, with tan skin and ocean blue eyes. The sun was setting over what I assumed was Lothal in the background. In one hand he held an Imperial cadet helmet and in the other was some kind of glowing weapon. I narrowed my eyes. He looked so familiar.

 _"_ _Ask about it,"_ the helpful voice cooed.

I glanced over my shoulder to see Kanan watching me with as much curiosity as me examining the painting. "Who… who is he?" I stuttered.

He shifted his gaze to the painting, before replying "His name was Ezra Bridger. He was part of this crew a while ago."

 _Ezra Bridger…?_

"What happened to him?" I probed.

At my words, Kanan froze and his expression became blank. I instinctively took a step back, knowing I had stepped into uncharted territories. A moment of silence passed between us, until he finally said "Dry off. If you need anything, ask one of the us." With that, he hurried out the door and left me to my thoughts.

Slowly, I sat down on the seats under the painting. I tried to get my mind off everything by pulling out my satchel instead. I only had a few possessions. Some left over food, a few credits and a picture. I reached in and carefully pulled the photo out. It was slightly faded and a little worn, but I could still make out the faces. On it was a tan skinned woman with glowing amber eyes, curly black hair and a warm smile. Next to her was a brown man with joyful, green eyes and short black hair. And in the woman's arms lay a little brown skinned baby, wrapped in a bundle of cloth. That baby, was _me_.

I sighed and hung my head. "I wish you were still here Mum... Do you think there's still good in him?" I whispered, running my finger over the man, my father. "Do you think he's still in there? The real him?"

The door slid open with a hiss, revealing a green Twi'lek. She looked a little started when she first saw me, but her expression softened into a warm smile. "You must be the 'guest' Sabine and Zeb were talking about."

I nodded slowly. "Y-Yeah. Kanan said I could stay until the storm passes."

"And a good thing too. It's a pretty bad one," she pointed out as rain pummelled the roof. After a small moment of silence, she changed her attention back to me. "Are those your parents?"

I looked down at the photo, before quickly stuffing it back into my satchel. "No. I don't have parents… _Not anymore_ …"

"Well," she started, giving me a sympathetic smile. "My name is Hera."

I nodded and replied "Uh, I'm Jet."

"You look hungry. Did you want something to eat?" she asked caringly. My stomach growled in reply, making Hera smile a little. "I'll take that as a yes," she smirked, walking across the room towards another door. I wasn't sure if I should follow at first, but when she waved me over I scurried to her side. We walked into what I assumed was the kitchen, as she pulled out some ingredients and made me a sandwich. "Here you go," she said, handing me the food.

I bit into it and savoured the taste. After living off stolen fruits and leftover meals from the trash for the past three weeks, this tasted like heaven! "Thank you," I mumbled through a mouthful of bread.

She laughed a little. "You're very welcome Jet."

With my free hand, I slung my now damp, but not as saturated cloak over my shoulders. I clipped the clasp around my neck and pulled the hood over my head. For some reason, I felt safer while wrapped in the garment. I couldn't put my finger on why though.

"Are you from around here Jet?" Hera asked casually.

I nodded, and swallowed my food before replying "Yep. All my life."

"And may I ask why Kanan offered you shelter here?" she inquired.

I shrugged. "I don't know. But let's just say I managed to catch his attention."

"Yeah, but not in a good way," a new voice snapped.

I turned to face Zeb, who eyed me suspiciously. I gave him an innocent smile and took another bite of my sandwich. "Keep your eye on this one Hera," Zeb sneered.

"Why?" I asked cheekily, stepping past him fluidly and snagging his comlink when he wasn't looking. "Because my hands are twice as quick as yours?" I taunted, holding up the device.

"Hey!" he growled, snatching it out of my fingers. "See what I mean?!"

Hera smiled and sipped at her tea. "Actually, that's a pretty handy skill if you ask me."

"It's not skill," Zeb grumbled. "It's luck."

"Then I must be pretty lucky," I laughed while finishing the last bite of my sandwich. Zeb didn't reply, but I saw a smirk pulling at the corner of his lip. Seeing this, Hera nodded in approval at my direction. I inwardly glowed. I had never been the centre of attention before, and the subtle praise was foreign but, nice. I walked out of the kitchen, despite the stares burning into the back of my head.

 _"_ _The cabins… go to the cabins,"_ the voice urged while a faint whistle guided me through the halls.

There were four of them, but I could feel the tune tugging me towards a specific one. Bending down, I quickly used the force to unlock the door. I wasn't a master at using it, but I knew the basics. And that's all I needed to get by in this life. The door slid open just enough for me to get in as I walked through into the dark room. There wasn't much in here. Just a bed, a small cushioned seat and a table with a few objects on top.

 _"_ _The helmet,"_ the voice whispered.

My eyes focused on the painted helmet on the table. I walked over cautiously, aware this would be considered trespassing. But I couldn't help myself. Besides, the voice said it was okay, and it's trustworthy… _I think…_

Once I was right next to the table, I picked the helmet up carefully. It was surprisingly clean, and probably still functional. I rolled it over in my hands, examining it with curiosity. _Why would rebels need a colourful cadet helmet?_

Suddenly, while staring into its black tinted visor, my vision was engulfed in light. I stumbled backward and gasped out of shock. "So how was it kid?" A voice asked casually. _Was that Kanan?_ I opened my eyes and was greeted with the plains of Lothal. But it was sunny, and the Ghost was parked at a small clearing. At the bottom of the ramp, Kanan was talking to a blue haired teen in an Imperial uniform.

"Forgot what it was like to be on my own," the boy smirked. _That voice! It was so familiar! Where have I heard that from…?_

"You miss it?" Kanan asked with a lopsided smile.

"No grumpy robots, no smelly Lasats… it's good to be back," the boy grinned.

Kanan chuckled and turned to walk up the ramp again. "At ease cadet."

The teen saluted jokingly and said "Sir yes sir."

In another bright flash, everything became dark as shapes focused into the cabin from before. I held my head, still slightly dazed. _'What was that?'_ I asked the voice while placing the helmet back on the table.

 _"_ _A vision of the past,"_ he explained. _"Pick up the lightsaber._ "

I looked at the other object on the table. It looked strange, but kind of cool. It was like a staple gun made of old parts and probably had deadly possibilities. _'Wait… lightsaber? Isn't that the weapon of the jedi?'_ I thought while picking it up in my hands. The voice didn't reply. I just continued to analyse it in my hands.

There were two buttons, and when I pressed one, an ocean blue beam jumped to life. "Whoa," I gawked as the blade illuminated the dark room. I experimentally swung it around, admiring the blue blur. I watched it hypnotically, until the corners of my vision began to fade. Darkness swarmed around me until all I could see were silhouettes and I could hear muffled voices.

"Finally, a challenge that might be worth my time," a cold, monotone voice taunted.

The shadows became figures, and I realised we were in the engine room of a star destroyer. I looked up and saw Kanan, the blue haired boy and an ugly Pau'an fighting in a fierce duel. Red was clashing against blue, sparks flying, adrenaline pumping. The nightmare like creature pushed Kanan back across the bridge with an invisible force, before throwing his blade at the teenage boy. It soared through the air, a dangerous blood red blur.

"AHH!" the boy screamed as he tumbled off the side, falling limp on the catwalk below.

"NO!" Kanan yelled, eyes wide as he came back to consciousness. He scrambled over to the side to get a better look, the pain obvious in his eyes as he accepted the facts. Instead, he gave the Pau'an a foul look and stood up. "That was a mistake," he growled, voice like ice.

"Why? Because you have no one left to die _for_ you?" he replied calmly.

Kanan reached out his hand, the boy's fallen lightsaber rocketing into his open palm. Kanan activated both blades, holding them up in a battle stance. "No, because I have nothing left to fear."

The Pau'an smiled, raising his blade and running full force at Kanan. He charged at the same time, weapons poised as their blades clashed…

 _HISS…_

I gasped as I was pulled back to the real world by the sound I was dreading. The sound of getting caught. I turned on my heel, lightsaber still activated, to be faced with Kanan…

* * *

 **Hey guys! Sorry for such a long wait! I've been sick and I also had writers block. Not a good combination. XD But I'm starting to feel better and should be able to update more regularly soon. I hope you enjoyed the chapter! Tell me what you thought about it, I love to read your reviews!**

 **For those who don't know yet, that voice inside Jet's head is Ezra. May the force be with you, always!**

 **-Superherotiger**


	4. The Broken Crew

**Hey guys! I'm really glad you've been enjoying this story! Thanks for all the support, it's much appreciated! :D**

 **Q/A's and Reactions:**

 **PrincessSilverAngel- Congrats and glad you liked it! :D**

 **Swr Guest- Thanks! I'm feeling much better now. :D**

 **Azulablue92- Yeah. Ezra has it all planned! He was very picky in who to choose, so Jet obviously fits his criteria! :D**

 **DeviLau Hills- Yep. A LOT of trouble! XD**

 **Ichichi05- I'm glad!**

 **Coral Iturbe-** **Me alegro de que estés disfrutando!**

 **Ginger Inc- I didn't originally plan to have a cliff hanger, but the chapter was too long, so I split it into two. :D**

 **Paint the Wolf- She's probably not in Kanan's 'good books' any more, but probably for only a little while. ;D**

 **AnimeAngel- Handpicked by Ezra himself! XD**

 **EzraSWrebels- Aw, thanks! That's so sweet! :D**

 **Midnight Luna- Yes, her parents are still a mystery… one that will soon be uncovered! ;D**

 **Gracie- That's okay! I know the feeling. :D**

 **Jelsa777- I'm glad you been enjoying it! ;D**

 **Chiibe The Rebel- It was an unexpected cliff hanger, but I'm glad it kept you on your toes! ;D**

* * *

Jet's POV

* * *

Neither of us moved. Every fibre of my body urged me to run, but my feet were grounded to the floor. A cyan gaze exchanged with hazy brown as he took in the situation. Immediately, his expression twisted with anger. "What are you doing in here?" he snapped while walking closer and snatching the lightsaber from my hands.

I stumbled back as he deactivated the blade and examined it carefully in his palms. He clutched it to his chest like it was the most precious thing in the galaxy before taking a deep breath. "S-Sorry," I stuttered. "I-I-"

"Get out," he growled, back turned. " _Now_."

I slowly edged for the door. "I'm s-sorry. I was just-"

"You were just leaving," he cut me off, giving me a cold glare.

I didn't stick around to argue, quickly running out the door and bolting down the hall. I sprinted into the common room and skidded to a halt, taking a moment to catch my breath. "Just couldn't help yourself, could you kid?" a voice asked. I looked up, slightly startled, to see the colourful Mandalorian girl painting the picture from before.

I was about to protest about this new nick name, since I was probably only one or two years younger than her, but replied with a smirk "Following orders was never _really_ my specialty."

She raised a brow, before turning back to the painting. "Well," a familiar voice grumbled. "Haven't you ever heard the expression 'Curiosity killed the cat'?"

I twisted on my heel to see the sarcastic Lasat walk in, an old, rusted droid at his side. "Don't cats supposedly have nine lives?" I snickered.

Zeb looked a little surprised, as well as confused. He looked down at the droid next to him, who rambled _"She's playing along! She's playing along! Someone is_ _actually_ _playing along!"_

"Shut up ya rust bucket, I know," Zeb hissed.

I gave them a confused look, before he turned back to me and replied "Then how many lives are you on now? Three? Two?"

Assuming we were back on the original conversation, I laughed and pretended to count my fingers. "Well, I don't think I've died _yet_ , but if it was near deaths I would have to say… two lives left."

Zeb smirked, before going to sit down at the circular table. "You're alright in my books _kid_ ," he mocked, though I could still feel a hint of acceptance behind his tone.

It fell silent between all of us as I cautiously went and sat across from Zeb. "So," I finally started. "Where have you guys been? I mean, you were like the big news around Lothal until you suddenly… _disappeared_."

The girl stiffened and Zeb shifted his gaze nervously. "There's just some things you wouldn't understand," Zeb finally replied.

"What? _What_ wouldn't I understand?" I asked, slightly defensive. I hated being treated like I was lower than all of them.

"That's none of your business," the girl snapped.

"Sabine," a calm voice intervened. I looked behind to see Hera, standing in the doorway. "There's no need to get upset."

"Upset?!" the girl called Sabine exploded. "How can we _not_ get upset on today of all days?!"

Zeb looked down sadly while Hera remained serene. "You have a right to be defensive, but there's no need to take it out on Jet," she finished calmly.

"Am I the _only_ one that cares that it's Ezra's anniversary," Sabine barked, throwing her paint tools on the ground. "How can you be so calm when this crew is crumbling?!"

"Sabine!" Hera yelled, walking over to her and placing her hands on the girl's shoulders. "I miss him!" Hera confessed, voice hitching and on the verge of tears. "I miss him more than you realise!"

Everyone became silent, Sabine's anger diminishing. "Sabine," Hera whispered, voice hoarse. "I wish he was still here, and I _wish_ I could see him one last time… but all we can do is try… for _him_."

Sabine's eyes were wide, the tension thick. Unexpectedly, the teen broke down, sobbing onto the Twi'lek's shoulder. Hera soothed the girl, rubbing circles into her back and whispering words of encouragement. My gut twisted. Oh how much I wished I could be held in my mother's arms again! What I wouldn't give to see her warm smile and big, caring eyes. But every day I had to remind myself that she wasn't here anymore, murdered in cold blood by the man in my nightmares…

"Uh, Sabine," I said quietly.

She looked up, scrubbing her eyes and glancing at me with curiosity. "Look, I don't know what happened to your friend," I started, taking a deep breath. "But I know what it feels like to lose someone important. My mother was killed in front of me, so I know what you're going through." I felt my hand instinctively reaching for my satchel, before I sighed and continued "My mother always said that loved ones never really leave us, because they continue on in our hearts. So, I'm sure your friend is watching over you as we speak, as long as you always remember him."

Sabine didn't respond, but Hera nodded gratefully in my direction. Slowly, the teen released from Hera's comfort and sat on the seat next to me. "I'm sorry to hear that about your Mum," she said quietly. She hesitated, looking up at Zeb who nodded approvingly. Sabine sighed, and explained "It was a year ago exactly. We were on a mission over at the Joodecium system, and things had gone wrong."

My eyes widened, realising what she was about to tell me. I shifted slightly so I was facing her as she continued "We ran into a cave for cover, but the roof caved and all of us were split up."

"We trekked through the caves for hours, probably days," Zeb scowled. "But illusions were getting thrown at us, messing with our minds."

"We wouldn't have survived if it wasn't for Hera," Sabine smiled. "She was amazing."

Hera walked over and sat down around the table. "Turns out, spirits were monitoring the cave, giving anyone who entered their 'trials' to see if they were worthy," she sighed.

"How do you pass the trials?" I asked.

"You have to have a strong will and mind," Hera explained. "Many people would die from the illusions alone, or from hunger, thirst, unstable tunnels and more. I was lucky enough to find a small fyrnock, who lead me on the path to surviving. The cave accepted me, and then I was free from the trials."

"Our new 'Fyrnock Master' here sent messengers to get us out," Zeb smirked. "I was out first."

"Us next," Sabine said, gesturing to Hera and herself.

"And Kanan?" I asked, which silenced all three of them.

"He… h-he," Sabine stuttered, tears rising. Hera placed her hand reassuringly on top of Sabine's. "Kanan, as you may know, is a jedi," Hera said calmly. "A while ago, he had a padawan, like an apprentice, called Ezra Bridger," she explained, pointing to the painting on the other side of the wall.

"He was brave," she sighed.

"Funny," Sabine sniffled.

"Witty," Zeb smiled.

"He was _special_ ," Hera summed it up. "And Kanan and he had something precious. A _bond_."

I frowned, looking down at the table. "W-What… happened to him?" I asked daringly, knowing that it could be the same response as last time with Kanan.

Hera sighed, the other two tensing. "We don't know," Hera whispered, wiping her teary eyes. "Kanan and Ezra were together in the cave. We only saw the body."

"Kanan was the last to come out, a lifeless Ezra in his arms," Zeb mumbled.

"He never told us what happened," Sabine said, voice breaking. "All we know is that they both came out. One dead, the other with claustrophobia and _many_ mental scars."

"None of us got out of that place unscathed," Zeb muttered.

Everyone went silent. I felt cold, like I couldn't breathe. No wonder these guys had disappeared. After such a traumatic experience, I could understand why they were all so broken. "I'm sorry to hear that," I said quietly, breaking the awkward silence. "Thank you for sharing… I know that was very personal."

The door to the room slid open and I looked up to see Kanan standing there. "The rain stopped," he pointed out.

Through our deep conversation, I hadn't even realised that the storm was starting the pass. "Well," I stretched, standing up. "That's my cue."

I stepped over the others and walked for the door, hood still up and satchel handy. I was about to walk past Kanan when someone called "Wait!" I stopped and glanced over my shoulder to see Hera watching me carefully. "Maybe," she started. "Maybe you can stay?"

"What?!" Everyone exclaimed in unison, including me.

"What are you talking about Hera?" Kanan asked, confused.

"I'm saying she should stay here, with us," Hera explained. "She could be a great help to the team."

"Well," Zeb mumbled. "I guess she _is_ small enough to fit through the vents."

"She also knows _way_ too much now," Sabine stated.

 _"_ _And Zeb and I finally have someone who'll join in when we pester them,"_ the droid whirled happily.

I looked up at Kanan, who exchanged a glance with me. _"_ _And_ _you're force sensitive,"_ the voice in my mind probed. That quite large factor snapped back to reality as I looked around the room, raised my hand and made Sabine's paint tools hover above the ground. "Look!" Zeb pointed. "The kid's also force sensitive. Who'd have guessed?"

"See? Even more reasons why she should stay with us," Hera smirked. "The streets are no place for a force sensitive child."

"It's a win win all around," Sabine smiled. "Zeb and Chop have someone to bicker with, _we_ have someone to help with missions, and you get a new pada-"

" _She_ is **_not_** my padawan," Kanan snapped, folding his arms and glaring at the teen.

My hand faltered, the floating objects clattering to the ground. I tried not to take it personally, but I couldn't help the cold, disappointing feeling filling my chest. _"Don't worry,"_ the voice soothed. _"Just wait till he gets to know you more."_ At these words, I took a deep breath and relaxed my muscles. After that horrifying piece of backstory, I could understand his resistance.

"But she _will_ be part of this crew, _right_ Kanan?" Hera asked, which was more of a statement than a question.

"No, no, no!" he denied, shaking his head. "We are _not_ dragging her into this, it's too dangerous!"

"I can handle myself," I stepped in. "I already know the basics in the force _and_ I can wield any given weapon. Blaster, staff, sword, whip, you name it!"

I waited patiently for his reaction, until he sighed in defeat. " _Fine_ ," he muttered. "But only if she _wants_ to join."

Everyone looked to me, as I smiled and answered "Got nothing better to do."

Kanan begrudgingly left the room while the others smiled and laughed. "Welcome to the Ghost Crew Jet," Hera grinned.

I was glad my hood was shadowing my face, so they couldn't see my blank expression. "Yeah, Jet," I finally replied, a sinking feeling dragging on my heart. "That's me."

* * *

 **Hey guys! Did you like the chapter? What do you think happened to Jet's parents? Why does Jet always wear that hood? Will Kanan ever be able to lift his guilt?!**

 **Just some questions you could all ponder about. ;D I was** ** _going_** **to ask 'what do you think happened to Ezra', but then I was like 'Wait, you guys already know what happened to Ezra!' XD For those _very_ perceptive readers, you'll realise that the 'Joodecium' system is a take off of the latin word 'Judicium', meaning judgement or trial. Just a fun little fact for you all.**

 **Anyways, I hope you enjoyed the chapter! Tell me what you thought about it, I love to read your reviews! And as always, may the force be with you! :D**

 **-Superherotiger**

 **P.S What do you think about the extended chapter lengths? Too much? Too little? Let me know!**


	5. A Morning with Jet

**Hey everyone! I hope you've been excited for this story. Sorry for such a long wait. I've had a lot going on lately. I hope you like it! :D**

 **Q/A's and Reactions:**

 **Jelsa777- Yeah, hoods are cool. ;D Actually, I'd never thought about that, with the whole 'Kanan unable to use the force thing'. Hmm, I kind of like that idea… *Thinks intensely for a moment* alright! That's officially in the story now. XD**

 **DeviLau Hills- After what happened to Ezra, he has a pretty good reason to though.**

 **EzraSWrebels- Thanks! I'm glad you liked it! This one might be a bit shorter, but I hope you still like it! :D**

 **Chiibe The Rebel- Aw, I'm sorry. Maybe this chapter will make you feel better! :D**

 **Silver shines in moonlight- Replace? No, no, no, no, no. Jet isn't there to replace Ezra. Ezra is guiding her there to fix the crew. Don't worry, she's not replacing Ezra.**

 **Jessie KI- Awesome! I'm glad you enjoyed it!**

 **Coral Iturbe-** **¡Me alegra que te guste! Disfrute ! :D**

 **Paint the Wolf- Yes, but they have some tests to go through first. I can't wait!**

 **Azulablue92- Hopefully this makes you happy again! ;D**

 **PrincessSilverAngel- Would you rather the crew be depressed for the rest of their lives? And also keep in mind that it's _Ezra's_ plan to get Jet into the crew. If it wasn't for him, Jet would have never met the crew in the first place, so if you're gonna blame someone, blame blueberry.**

 **Ezra lover- Rough. What did Jet ever do to you?**

 **Taylor Fireheart- Wow, that's a lot of questions. But I'm going to answer them in order. Ready? 1. Jet doesn't realise it's Ezra. She just thinks it's a random voice. 2. No. Jet is not Ezra's reincarnation. 3. Jet has long black hair, dark skin and brown eyes. So no, she doesn't look like Ezra. 4. Well, you'll have to find out. ;D 5. Is it a dream? No. 6. Most likely Spectre 7. 7. Probably not. I think Jet understands that Ezra was very important to the crew and she would never try to remove him from the picture. 8. I don't know, will you ever stop thinking of questions. XD**

 **Midnight Luna- XD Congratulations on guessing it right. ;D**

 **Rebekahtpe- I'm trying to make them longer, but it's really hard to find time to write. Sorry if this chapter is shorter, but I hope you enjoy it! :D (P.S thanks for your awesome support! ;D)**

 **Swr Guest- Once Jet realises Ezra was the one guiding her the whole time, it's most likely she'll tell Kanan. Besides, I think Kanan is started to twig onto Ezra's plan. But you'll have to find out! ;D**

* * *

Hera's POV

* * *

"I bet she can't," Zeb smirked.

"Shh Zeb!" Sabine snapped.

"You two done yet?" Jet intervened as cutlery, cups and bowls impossibly balanced in the air. Her hands were outstretched and trembling slightly as cup of water floated upwards, balancing on the tip of a wooden spoon. I was very impressed, and from the looks of Zeb's reaction, he was too. "She's actually doin' it," he gawked.

"You… doubt me?" Jet groaned, her hands clenching into fists slowly. But I knew she probably had a confident smile hidden behind her hood.

"Yes," Zeb snickered.

Suddenly, the door opened, revealing a surprised jedi. Kanan shifted his gaze between all of us until his eyes landed on Jet. At first he looked surprised, glancing over the incredible, physics-defying tower supported by nothing. I saw another emotion flash in his teal eyes. For a second I thought it was _jealousy_ , but why would he be jealous?

That's when I remembered something. Kanan's force ability had limited greatly once Ezra had died. I was the only one he'd ever told and he said he could hardly levitate objects anymore. _'It's like I'm being… blocked,'_ is how he'd explained it.

"How are you doing that?" Kanan asked.

Jet perked up, hands still focused on the tower. "The force," she answered.

"No, I mean…" Kanan sighed. "How do you _know_ how to use the force?"

The floating objects halted for a moment as Jet stiffened. "My Mum," she replied after a moment of silence. "She taught me everything I know."

"She was a jedi?" Kanan asked curiously.

Her head hung slightly. "I… don't know," she said quietly. "I never got the chance to ask."

Kanan nodded in understanding, before asking "And your father?"

Suddenly, one of the glass cups exploded into many pieces. The shards landed on the table as Zeb swept some off his arm, eyes wide. Everyone seemed to freeze, even Kanan. A tense silence filled the room, nobody daring to move. Finally, Jet huffed "He died when the Empire took over." She went back to her tower, regaining Zeb and Sabine's attention. I could tell Kanan was still a little tense though.

"I'm going out for a while," Kanan mumbled quietly to me after a moment of watching the trio.

"Where?" I asked curiously.

He frowned. "To see my padawan," he grumbled, turning to leave again.

I placed my hand on his shoulder, making him halt and glance over his shoulder. "Just…" I trailed off when I stared into his hollow eyes. Where was the spark that once shone in those eyes? Where was the cocky smirk that pulled at his lips? Where was the jedi I once knew?

He seemed to have left long ago. Maybe he went down with Ezra to his resting place, or was left behind at those nightmare caves. "Just… tell him I said hi, okay?" I finished, slowly releasing my grip. He nodded before walking out, the door shutting behind him.

I sighed and turned back to the others. Jet was just about to lift a bowl of cereal when Chopper laughed deviously and electrocuted her. Jet yelped, the cereal splattering on her head, followed by the bowl. Zeb chuckled as the tower collapsed, but went silent when the cup of water landed on _him_. He frowned, ears dropping while Sabine, Chopper and I just laughed. "That's it rust bucket!" he snarled, standing up. Chopper quickly wheeled out of the kitchen and down the hall instead, snickering the whole time.

"Ugh," Zeb groaned. "Can we _please_ get rid of him Hera?"

"No," I smiled, walking closer. He grumbled and folded his arms as Jet attempted to wipe her cloak with a towel. To be honest, I wouldn't have believed there was someone actually behind the hood if I hadn't seen her face for myself. Even if it was only for a moment, I'd memorised those chocolate brown eyes and earthy dark skin. A bright, glistening smile that hid many secrets and long black hair twisted into a loose braid. That's when it occurred to me. Why was she still wearing that cloak?

"Jet, you're inside, you don't have to wear your cloak now," I pointed out.

"What?" she asked, before looking up and down her outfit. "Oh, no, no, no," she replied quickly. "I'd prefer to keep it on."

"Why?" Sabine inquired.

"Yeah," Zeb smirked. "We're aint gonna laugh… well… maybe a little."

"Zeb," Sabine hissed, punching his shoulder.

"No, it's just important to me, that's all," Jet replied, trying to resolve the matter.

"Okay, okay," I stepped in before either of the two could say anything. "Jet, we understand." I didn't want to push her boundaries. After all, she hardly knew us that well. As Jet cleaned up the mess, including the shattered glass, she asked "So, what do you guys do for fun?"

"Fun?" Sabine stated numbly.

"Yeah, ya know, a thing where people actually enjoy their lives and laugh and smile. You should try it sometime," Jet snickered.

Sabine rolled her amber eyes, placing a hand on her hip. "I know what fun is," she snapped.

"Then when was the last time you had it?" Jet replied sarcastically.

At this, Sabine didn't have a come-back. Neither did Zeb. The two glanced at each other, then back at Jet, and finally to me for some kind of answer. "Seriously?" Jet asked, folding her arms. "You guys don't even go out and relax every once and a while? When was the last time you even had fun?!"

"We're rebels kid," Zeb growled. "We don't have time for _fun_."

"No, time for fun?" Jet repeated with an offended tone. She gasped and placed a hand over her heart, before chuckling slightly. "That's it. I'm gonna show you all how to have fun," she laughed, binning the broken glass and walking for the door. "Hera?" Sabine asked, looking to me for guidance.

I shrugged and followed her as Zeb and Sabine trailed behind. Jet stopped in the common room and looked around. "Fun, fun, fun," she mumbled to herself. "What's here that's fun?" Suddenly, she froze slightly, before twisting on her heel and walking over to a pile of Sabine's paint. She picked up a bucket and examined it in her hands. "These are washable, right?" she asked Sabine curiously.

Sabine nodded, walking over to her. "Completely. A bit of water and it'll come straight off. Why?"

Jet placed the bucket on the ground, proceeding to dip her hands in the green paint. "What are you doing?" Zeb inquired, walking over to the two of them. Jet tapped her foot and scratched her head, the paint leaving a mark on her hood. "I think this room needs a little colour," Jet snickered. She high fived the wall, imprinting her hand on a bland space. "Here, Here, _here_ ," she giggled, flicking some of the paint into Zeb's face. "You didn't," Zeb snarled.

"I did," Jet replied confidently. "Watch, I'll do it again." She said, flicking more paint into his face.

Zeb growled and dipped a fist into a can of fluro blue paint. "I think _you_ could use some colour too!" he smirked. Before Jet even had time to react, Zeb had grabbed her in a headlock and noogied her, leaving bright, sky blue paint on her head. Jet pushed him away and laughed, grabbing a can of yellow paint and preparing for another attack. Zeb grinned and grabbed the can of blue paint.

"Oh no you don't! Not with _my_ paint!" Sabine stepped in. She turned to me and said "Hera, tell them to stop!"

In the background, I saw Jet sneak up behind Sabine and tip the paint over her head. Sabine gasped, the yellow goo sliding down her face and back. Jet and Zeb laughed as I tried to contain a giggle of my own. Suddenly, Sabine twisted on her heel and growled, dipping her hands into a can of pink paint and smearing it over Jet's face. She stepped back and smirked once satisfied, wiping her hands against her legs.

Jet looked up and down her outfit, which was now a colourful mixture of green, blue and pink. Then she unclasped her cloak and picked up a bucket of red paint, proceeding to pour it over her own head. Zeb exchanged a confused glance at Sabine until Jet ran up to them yelling "Paint hug!" Their eyes widened as a gooey Jet chased them around the room. "I hope you guys are gonna clean this up," I called over the laughter.

"Chill out Hera," Zeb chuckled. "We're just have a little… _fun_." Zeb threw some paint at Sabine as the mandalorian splattered some on his chest. The two laughed will colourfully rough housing, and despite myself, I smiled. When was the last time I'd seem them so happy? _Far too long._

I felt arms wrap around me as I looked down into Jet's beaming eyes. "Join us!" she smiled, her face and hair completely covered in red paint. That's when I realised she had already spread her paint war to me. Jet stepped back with a grin, my side smothered with green and red paint. I frowned, Zeb walking over and patting my shoulder encouragingly. "It's not that bad Hera," he smirked.

I sighed. "Thanks Zeb, but I…" I trailed off when I realised the childish trio were snickering and giggling. I looked at my shoulder, where Zeb was patting it a second ago and realised it was now stained with bright purple paint. "Zeb!" I yelled.

He bellowed in laughter and ran off in the opposite direction. Jet, Sabine and Zeb continued their paint war, laughing the whole time. I sat down on one of the seats to watch, a small smile pulling at my lips. I had been trying for a whole _year_ to get my crew to this point again. To get them to laugh and smile and be happy again. _What is it about this kid that's triggered their playfulness?_ I pondered for a moment, before smiling and pushing the thought a way. Maybe I didn't need to know. And to be honest, I didn't _want_ to. My family were smiling again, and even if they were still broken, I had the feeling that this Jet was the key to fixing them…

* * *

 **Hey guys! I hope you enjoyed the chapter! Again, sorry for the long wait. Hopefully it was worth it though! What do you think Kanan's up to? What happened to Jet's family? Do you think Ezra's plan is working? :O**

 **Anyways, I know there have been some mixed responses to Jet. I know many of you thought Ezra was going to possess her, but that didn't seem like something Ezra would do. To all those that aren't very fond of her, just think of it like this. Ezra wouldn't pick someone that would tear the crew apart. He wants his family to be happy again, and he knows what he's doing. He has it all planned out, don't worry. Just give Jet a shot, and maybe you'll come to like her. ;)**

 **Anyways, that's all I have to say for now. I hope you enjoyed and may the force be with you, always!**

 **-Superherotiger**


	6. A Morning with Ezra

**Hey everyone! Sorry for the long wait. I hope you like the chapter! Enjoy!**

 **Q/A's and Reactions:**

 **Guest- How about this, if I have the time and people _really_ want it, I'll make an alternate ending to 'Test of Strength, Test of Mind' for all of you that want Ezra back?**

 **Chiibe the Rebel- Aw, thanks for the support. I really appreciate it. I'm also glad to hear that you like Jet! ;D**

 **Azulablue92- No, I don't. Sorry. But maybe once I'm on the road I'll make one! :D Then we can talk and stuff!**

 **Jessica- I'm glad to hear that! And yeah, that sounds like a good idea! :D But I have an important plan first before I can do that. ;D**

 **EzraSWrebels- Not through blood, but I always consider the crew a family, so once Jet is accepted into it, you could consider them like brother and sister.**

 **Jelsa777- I'm glad to hear that you like Jet! And yes, Ezra will be appearing in this chapter. ;D Enjoy!**

 **Paint the Fangirling Wolfdog- That makes me so happy to hear that! And yes *Grabs a bucket of paint* To war!**

 **Taylor Fireheart- XD Enjoy the chapter! (I answered all your questions privately.)**

 **Midnight Luna- XD lol.**

 **Coral Iturbe-** **Disfrute !**

* * *

Kanan's POV

* * *

I paced back and forth in frustration. "I can't believe you," I muttered. "Of all the stupid ideas you've had, this one tops the cake." I scowled, my brows furrowing. Taking a deep breath, I realised I had trodden on the grass so much that it was practically soil now.

I sighed and held my hand in my hands. A cool breeze drifted by, leaves dancing in the wind. "It's official, I've lost it," I groaned.

I glanced up at Ezra's grave, my eyes starting to sting again. A deep, familiar emptiness filled my heart as I thought about him. Memories of laughter, of hardships, of trust, and of loss. The undeniable fact that my padawan had sacrificed himself so _I_ could live. In many ways, I wished he hadn't. Sometimes I wish I had died in that cave too, setting my spirit free and becoming one with the force. Then there would be no pain. No love. No loss. Just the force.

How many times had I sat in my room and stared at my lightsaber, wishing for it all to end? _Just finish it. Join your padawan in the afterlife, and have no more fear._ With the simple flick of a switch, I could be reunited with Ezra again. But then the others would be on their own. And that thought was just as hard to think about.

I shook my head and sighed. Seeing a few pebbles near Ezra's grave, I extended my hand and closed my eyes. _Come on Kanan, you used to do this all the time. It's just a simple pebble._ I focused on the force and the small rock. I just needed to prove to myself that I could still do it, that I still had what it took! I needed to know that I could still protect the others.

Opening my eyes just a crack, I was disappointed to see it hadn't moved. I groaned in frustration, thrusting my arm in an attempted force push. Yet, it still didn't move. "Rrr!" I yelled, anger bubbling inside. Instead, I kicked one of the rocks next to my foot down the hill and grinded my teeth.

How was Jet about to do it?! I mean, she made it look so easy! How did a teenage street rat manage to have better force powers than me?! Jedi parent or not, there was something strange about that girl. The way she reacted when I asked about her father perked my curiosity, as well as worry. If she could break a glass with just the mention of someone, what would happen when she connected to the dark side of the force?

"Ezra," I whispered, bending down on my knees and closing my eyes. "If Jet was what you were talking about when you said you had a plan… you _need_ to tell me. I refuse to believe it if you don't."

Silence filled the air, the breeze continuing to drift by. I took a deep breath and sighed, pushing myself into a meditation position. Calming my racing mind, I tried to connect to the force once more. After a few minutes, that warm presence returned, pushing its care and calming waves in my direction. "Ezra," I exhaled, letting my shoulders slump.

His voice rang in my ears, but a hint of agitation lingered in his tone. _"Why are you here?"_

"I need to know," I sighed, looking up at the sky. "Did you send Jet to us? Is she part of your plan?"

 _"_ _She isn't_ _ **part**_ _of the plan, she_ _ **is**_ _the plan,"_ he explained.

I frowned. "Why!? Why did you bring her to us?!"

 _"_ _Because she will fix you all,"_ he replied calmly.

"…No! I won't!" I yelled furiously. "I can't do it Ezra! Not again!"

It was silent for a moment, his presence faltering, until he replied mysteriously _"You call to me with your answer, yet you don't go through with it."_

"What?" I asked, confused.

 _"_ _You claim you've already made your decision,"_ he explained. _"So why are you here telling me it?"_

I sighed, trying to push down my building anger. "Ezra," I whispered. "Why are you doing this to me? You know I can't take on another padawan... Not after last time."

 _"_ _Can't… or won't?"_

I hung my head. "I couldn't protect you… I-I couldn't _save_ you," I wheezed, tears stinging my eyes again. "And now you're gone. And it was _my_ fault."

Suddenly, there was a bright flash and the oxygen was sucked out of my lungs. As quickly as the sensation came, it was gone, and I looked around nauseously. As my vision focused, I saw that I wasn't on the hill anymore, and that I was actually in front of the Ghost. The sun was setting off in the distance as footsteps could be heard from the ramp. I twisted on my heel and gasped to see Ezra, arms folded and eyes down cast. "Ezra!" I yelped, running up the ramp as he descended.

"I can't believe it's y-" I was cut off when I went straight through him, colourful mist particles floating off him. He continued down the ramp until he stopped, looking out over the sunset. "What the?" I asked aloud, slightly confused. I walked to in front of the teen and waved my hand in front of his eyes. He didn't respond. I reached for his shoulder, but once again, my hand went through him and mist swirled around my hand until it reformed into Ezra's shoulder.

Before I could ponder what was happening, another pair of footsteps echoed down the ramp. My eyes widened when I saw it was _me_. But it was like I was invisible as he asked "What's on your mind?"

"I don't think we should go through with this," Ezra admitted, folding his arms.

"Ezra, you are up for this. I know you are," Kanan, or, myself replied reassuringly.

"I know that's what you want to think, but as much as I wish I was like my parents, I'm not," Ezra said, strolling further down the ramp. That's when it clicked in my mind. I was watching a memory. This was the conversation I had with Ezra before we tried to take over the imperial communication tower.

"There's something else," my past-self probed.

Ezra sighed. "My parents spoke out, and I lost them, and I don't… Rrr! I don't want to lose you guys too, alright? Not over this!" he groaned in frustration.

"Hey," Kanan stepped forward. "All of us have lost things. And we will take more losses before this is over, but we can't let that stop us from taking risks. We _have_ to move forward." He walked to beside Ezra and finished "And when the time comes, we need to be ready to sacrifice for something bigger."

"That sounds good, but it's not so easy," Ezra sighed.

"It's not easy for me either. My master tried to teach it to me, but I don't think really understood it until now, trying to teach it to you," Kanan chuckled slightly. "I guess you and me are learning these things together." They both smiled and nodded in understanding, before looking out at the sunset again. A powerful gust of wind scattered the scene into darkness, before settling back into Lothal and the hill.

 _"_ _You need to take your own advice Master. You_ _ **have**_ _to move forward,"_ Ezra cooed.

I sighed and held my head in my hands. After a moment, Ezra continued soothingly _"Listen Kanan. Listen."_

I tried to, but all I heard was the wind, a few rustling leaves and the swaying grass. "For what?" I asked.

 _"_ _Hush. Don't focus on one sound. Just listen,"_ he echoed.

I took a deep breath and let the sounds combine. For a moment, everything became louder, and clearer, before fading behind the faint sounds of laughter. It continued on as three distinct cries of joy filled my ears. One was deep, another joyful and the last was confident. I couldn't tell who they were yet it was, _familiar_. "What am I hearing?" I asked Ezra.

"Chill out Hera," Zeb's defiant voice chuckled. "We're just having a little… _fun_."

I gasped in surprise, my eyes shooting open as Zeb and Sabine's laughter rung in my ears. The third voice joined in as they all giggled and laughed together. "What's going on?" I asked in confusion as the joy began to fade, the voices disappearing.

 _"_ _Run along master,"_ Ezra's voice said confidently. _"You wouldn't want to miss out on all the fun now, would you?"_

The presence retracting, I tried desperately to reach for it again. "Wait!" I cried out, but it was too late. Ezra was gone, and everything was silent. I glanced out over in the direction of the Ghost and rubbed my eyes in confusion. _What just happened?_ I knew I could stay here, or I could go back to the Ghost. And despite myself, I headed back for the Ghost…

* * *

 **Hey guys! Did you enjoy the chapter? Do you think Kanan will ever let go? What is Jet hiding? Will Kanan ever accept Jet as his new padawan? Who knows?! (Well, I do, but that's beside the point XD) I hope you guys enjoyed the chapter. Tell me what you thought about it, I love to read your reviews! May the force be with you, always!**

 **-Superherotiger**


	7. To Prove Your Worth

***Stretches* Hey everyone! Wow, it's been a while since I've updated this story, huh? Well, there's a perfectly legitimate reason for that… I had writers block, and I couldn't find the time. So, I made sure it was a bit longer. I hope you enjoy! :D**

 **Q/A's and Reactions:**

 **Chiibe the Rebel- Death can do strange things… XD**

 **Azulablue92- Don't worry Azula! You can easily fix that by re-reading Ezra's death scene in TOS TOM. XD**

 **DevilSPR- I don't know. You'll have to find out. ;D**

 **EzraSWrebels- He's been through a lot.**

 **Coral Iturbe- Estoy tan contento de escuchar que estés disfrutando! Espero que os guste el capítulo!**

 **Taylor Fireheart- All of those questions will be revealed in time! :D Enjoy the chapter!**

 **Jelsa777- I'm so glad to hear you liked it! :D Yeah, it's a good episode, but so sad when Kanan gets captured. :O**

 **Paint the Fangirling WolfDog- XD lol. And yeah, Kanan has kind of lost his way, so Ezra is acting as more of the mentor for him.**

 **Midnight Luna- Hmm. Yeah. I'll probably do that _after_ I finish this story, for all you fellow Ezra lovers. You know, it was originally gonna be Sabine who died in that story, but the twist of Ezra dying was so awesome that I had to do it! XD**

 **Guest- All in time my friend. In time. :D**

 **Jessica- So glad to hear that! Enjoy the chapter!**

* * *

Jet's POV

* * *

"Okay, hold still," Sabine smirked.

"You know, I think I'm having second thoughts about this!" I protested.

She grinned, aiming the hose at Zeb and me. "Too late."

Suddenly we were pummelled with freezing water as I raised my hands in a desperate attempt to protect my face. "I still don't see how you got a shower and we have to do this!" I barked as Sabine chuckled.

"Because it was you two who used all of _my_ paint! So, I'm just dishing out some justice," the Mandalorian snickered.

I groaned as the water started to hit Zeb. "This is all your fault, Loth Rat," Zeb muttered teasingly.

I shrugged. "Just bringing some fun to your dreary lives."

Sabine raised a brow and aimed the hose back at me, catching me off guard and right hitting me in the face. "Seriously?!" I sputtered, twisting on my heel and rubbing my face. "My mouth was open and everything!" I coughed, wiping the red paint off my face. My cloak weighed heavily on my shoulders as the water washed over it, my face still shadowed by the unique garment.

But the price was definitely worth the fun. Laughter had filled the air, joy slicing through the stagnant tension. And even if it only lasted a few minutes, I saw a side of the crew that didn't seem to shine. Well… at least not anymore.

Movement on the horizon caught my attention. I glanced up at Lothal's grassy expanse, watching the approaching figure curiously. Once close enough, I realised it was Kanan. I wasn't sure how to feel about the older Jedi. He was so reclusive, and there was always a pressure to prove myself and my abilities. I hadn't know the Ghost crew for very long, but I had the feeling that something was very wrong. Obviously whatever happened to them a year ago had effected them greatly, all that remained of the once brave crew being scars and nightmares.

As Kanan walked into the small clearing, he took in the situation and raised a brow. "Do I even _want_ to know?" he quizzed, folding his arms.

"Probably not," I smirked, shrugging innocently.

Sabine turned off the hose and walked over to us. "Back so soon?" she asked Kanan curiously.

He nodded slowly. "I came to see what's going on," he explained.

"Paint war," Zeb summed it up, wiping his face with a towel.

"I see," he smirked, examining the mix of colours that was draining off of Zeb's clothing and down his arms, pooling down at his feet. "And may I ask who started your little warfare?"

Without hesitation, Sabine and Zeb both pointed towards me. I grinned guiltily, and replied "It seemed like a good idea at the time."

He nodded, Sabine and Zeb exchanging glances of joy. I knew that they had fun too, even if they'd never admit it. Even Hera had a small smile tugging at her lips while we were making a mess. I watched Kanan as his eyes glazed over, which they so often seemed to do, before snapping back to reality and staring at me. "You said you know how to fight with any weapon," he started. "Care to demonstrate?"

I perked up, eyes widening. "Yeah," I announced excitedly. Fighting and combat was my thing, an activity I could flow through without a doubt. "I could show you all later if you'd like."

"Sounds interesting," Sabine pondered. "Yeah, I'll watch."

"Me too," Zeb smirked, punching my shoulder. "So I can laugh when you lose."

"Zeb!" Sabine snapped.

"Ha, you won't be laughing when _you're_ the one pinned under _my_ foot," I grinned, raising my chin confidently.

"We'll see about that," Zeb replied while cracking his knuckles.

I turned around and walked back for the ramp of the Ghost, waving my arm dismissively. "Oh, you will see," I called smugly. "…Right after I have a shower."

* * *

"Okay, I'm ready," I announced, shaking the tension out of my muscles and stretching my limbs. "How will this work?"

"Okay," Kanan started as the entire crew sat at the edge of the circle drawn into the dirt. "One of us will come into the ring at a time. First to pin the other for three seconds or get them to surrender wins. Got it?"

I nodded confidently. "So, who's first," I smirked.

Sabine stepped forward, placing both her blasters beside the crew. "Hand to hand combat," she stated while circling the perimeter, placing her colourful helmet on and raising her fists. I crouched into a fighting stance, taking steady breaths and clearing my mind. All was still for a tense moment, until Sabine made the first move and sprinted forward. I didn't flinch, swiftly jumping away at the last second and landing behind her. I tried to hit her at external nerve points, but she was quick to twist around and grasp my arm. I smirked, reversing the hold and jumping on her back. She struggled for a moment under my weight before I kicked out her legs, the teen crumpling to the ground with a thud. I held her still but made sure not to harm her while Kanan finished counting down. Once he said '1', I sighed and stood up, offering the Mandalorian a hand. She hesitated at first, staring at me through her tinted visor, before accepting my offer. I heaved her up as she stretched slightly. "You're pretty good," she admitted, pulling off her helmet.

I blushed slightly, which they thankfully couldn't see. "Thanks. You're really quick at fighting."

She nodded with a smile, turning back to the others and sitting down. Zeb stood up next and stretched, strolling into the circle casually. "So, you can fight with anythin' huh?" he smirked while pulling out his bo-rifle. "Let's see 'bout that."

I took a deep breath and closed my eyes, pushing down my surfacing doubt. All my combat lessons replayed in my mind, useful teachings sparking my memories. Slowly, I opened my eyes and relaxed my muscles. "Bring it," I grinned while motioning for the Lasat to begin. He smiled, the ends of his staff igniting with purple electricity. We circled each other cautiously, waiting for someone to make the first move. I waited patiently. I needed to see how strong and fast Zeb was, or my attempts could be futile.

Finally, he decided to strike, lunging forward with bo-rifle ready. I slipped away fluidly, surprised at how remarkably fast he was. He twisted back around and eyed me cautiously. Now it was my turn. I leaped into the air and landed on his shoulders, clinging tightly around his back as he struggled to shake me off. I raised my hand and struck him on the spine, causing him to falter and drop his bo-rifle. My eyes widened, since that blow should have caused him to fall, but the Lasat remained strong, finally flinging me off. I groaned while tumbling over the dirt, my vision blurred and back aching. I glanced up as Zeb stood over me, bo-rifle poised. My eyes widened as I searched around for something to use, Kanan beginning to count down.

My gaze locked onto the hose as I used the force to pull it into my grasp. I turned on the water flow with my powers and aimed the hose at Zeb, shooting a spout of cold water straight in his face. He stumbled backwards with a gasp and I jumped up and slid in-between his legs, the hose trailing behind me. I ran a circle around the disoriented Lasat before finally giving a mighty tug on the tube. With a gentle encouragement from my boot, Zeb tumbled down face first, legs knotted in the hose. I quickly jumped on his back, holding his hands in a tight lock. "Uh… th-three… two… one," Kanan stuttered in amazement while Zeb struggled to be released.

Finally, I let go and rolled onto the ground, panting from exhaustion. "Jet, are you okay?" Hera's voice rung through the air. Zeb untangled from the hose and glanced at me with new found respect. "Good job kid. I'll give you that one," he smiled gently, giving a subtle nod.

I sighed and propped myself up on my elbows. "Thanks… but I don't think… I'd have won in a real fight with you," I wheezed, a small grin lining my lips.

He smiled sympathetically, and asked "You okay?"

I nodded quickly, pushing myself back onto my feet and stabilising myself. "Yeah, I'm fine thanks," I sighed. Zeb nodded and picked up his bo-rifle, attaching it to his back again. He went and joined the others as I took deep steady breaths. "I think that's enough for today," Hera stepped forward, concern etched on her face.

"No," Kanan put up his hand. "She still has one more opponent to beat."

I raised a brow, wondering who was going to step forward. But when the others glanced at each other in confusion, a hint of dread seeped into my system. Kanan strolled into the circle, my eyes widening. "Kanan, wait," Hera tried to intervene.

Kanan pulled the two cylinders I'd stolen when I first met him off his belt and twisted them together with a click. He threw the object towards me as I fumbled to catch it. I stared down at it in confusion, glancing back at Kanan for some kind of guidance. "It's a lightsaber," he explained, pulling something else from behind him. It was the lightsaber I'd seen in his cabin the other day!

"Kanan, this is crazy!" Hera snapped. "You can't expect her to fight you with that! Someone's going to get hurt, and she's already tired enough-"

"Don't worry Hera," I reassured, though a note of doubt lingered in my tone. "I can do this."

She turned to me with concern and uncertainty. "Jet, you don't have to do this," she started.

I glanced at Kanan and took a deep breath. She was wrong. I _did_ have to do this. I had to prove that I was worthy enough to be part of their crew, and I had to earn their respect. _Especially_ Kanan's. "It's okay," I sighed, igniting the blade. "I've got this."

She stepped back nervously, watching the scene with wide eyes. Kanan activated his saber, the blue blade jumping to life. I slashed my sword experimentally, adapting to the new weapon. I had never used such a light and deadly weapon before, but I was a fast learner. All I needed was to watch Kanan's movements carefully and create a strategy. So, I settled into a defensive stance and waited for Kanan to begin. Though it seemed the Jedi had the same idea.

After a tense, still moment, I switched to the offensive and lunged forward, swinging the blade down. Kanan smirked, our blades clashing and my vision engulfing in a burst of light. I stumbled backwards, rubbing my disorientated eyes and raising my blade just in time to block a blow from Kanan. My heels ground into the dirt as he pushed down against the swords. I groaned, quickly pushing his sword up and then jumping away. Twisting on my heel, I switched once again to the defensive and made sure to keep my balance.

Kanan pounced forward, blue clashing with blue as my muscles struggled to maintain the fight. I gritted my teeth and tried to kick his leg out. His legs wavered for a moment, giving me the perfect opportunity to push his blade aside and sweep his feet out from under him. He landed on his back with a thud, my small victory diminishing quickly as he recovered and shifted to a defensive stance.

This time, I used different sword and staff techniques I'd learnt over the years to attack, but his defensives were too strong to break. I stepped back, balancing myself and catching my breath. Kanan was quick to take advantage of this and attacked, forcing me back as I blocked his powerful blows. _Block. Block. Swipe. Block. Duck. Swing. Jump. Block. Block._

This process went on until my muscles began to scream at each blow. I was panting heavily, hands sweating and energy fading. Every fibre of my body begged me to stop, surrender and end the fight, but I just couldn't. You never show fear, and you never give up. They were the two most important lessons I'd learnt. So, with one final attempt, I swiped at his legs, causing him to jump. Then I used a force push while he was in mid-air, making him fly backwards and tumble over the ground.

Taking my opportunity, I sprinted over and kicked his lightsaber away, holding the tip of my blade just inches away from his neck. But he seemed to have another plan in mind, twisting away and kicking me hard in the shin. I stumbled back, grinding my jaw and raising my blade weakly. But I had no more energy left. I couldn't fight anymore. Kanan leaped forward and landed a few more blows with his fists, his final kick to the stomach making me skid backwards and collapse to one knee. I gasped, clutching my waist tightly and letting the lightsaber fall from my grasp. "Jet!" Hera called worriedly.

Tears were stinging my eyes, my lungs constricting and sweating forehead resting on my knee. I could taste blood in my mouth, my nose bleeding profusely as well. But the bitter taste of defeat stung more than my physical pain. This was my one chance to prove I was useful, that I could be a valuable member of their team. But I had failed. And that was a sensation I was all too familiar with.

Surprisingly, firm but gentle hands grasped onto my shoulders. I glanced up with a grunt and stared into Kanan's concerned eyes. "Are you okay?" he asked.

I wheezed in response, waiting for the disappointment to settle in his gaze. But it didn't. Instead, I saw worry and guilt, which surprised me greatly. He pushed my hood back slightly, just enough so that the sun could light up my features. His eyes widened with shock, a small gasp escaping his lips. "Jet, I'm so sorry," he mumbled. "I was just trying to find your limit. I didn't mean to hurt you."

I wiped my face quickly, tugging my hood over again and staring at the ground. "I failed," I whispered with defeat.

He chuckled in surprise. "What? Failed? This wasn't a test Jet," he stated.

I perked up. "It wasn't?"

He shook his head and explained "I just wanted to see how good you were at combat. I wasn't sure if you'd be capable enough to be a rebel, but you've greatly exceeded my expectations."

My eyes widened. "I did good?" I asked numbly, and probably childishly.

"Jet, you beat Zeb! I mean, not just anyone can be Zeb!" he exclaimed excitedly.

"But barely," I croaked.

His joy faded, being replaced by a stern frown. "Jet, you have amazing combat skills. We all realise that," he said while gesturing to the bewildered crew. "Why can't you?"

I thought about it for a moment, my shoulders slumping and muscles aching. "I don't know," I muttered. "I guess I'm not really used to… _positive_ feedback…"

Concern seeped into his gaze once again. "What do you mean?" he asked.

I shook my head and mumbled "Nothing."

He squeeze my shoulders and smiled gently while Hera walked over and placed a hand on my back. "I'm so proud of you Jet," she grinned, rubbing soothing circles into my back.

My eyes widened. " _Proud?_ But… w-why?" I stuttered.

"Because you did great out there! You won against Sabine and Zeb, and you almost beat Kanan," she pointed out joyfully. I frowned, not understanding why they were okay with me _losing_ the fight. "Jet," Kanan sighed. "I never expected you to know how to use a lightsaber… I didn't even expect you to defeat Zeb! But you have amazing skills, and I think if you had a bit more training, you'd master how to use a sword."

He stood up, dusting himself off and offering me a hand. I hesitated at first, staring at it with suspicious eyes. Finally, I accepted his hand and he pulled me to my feet. I glanced at the others who walked over to us, a surprised yet also amazed expression on their faces. I'd always had a sense of self-confidence, but pride was a different story. And for once, I felt a glint of pride swelling in my chest. I may not have won, but I had still proven myself to the crew. And that's what really mattered.

* * *

 **Hey guys! How was the chapter? Did you enjoy it? How does Jet know so much about combat? Tell me what you thought about it, I love to read your reviews. I can't wait for season 2 guys! It's so close now and I'm so excited! :D I know most of you will have October 14** **th** **circled on your calendar, but it's the 18** **th** **that I'm so excited for (since that's when it comes out in Australia)! I'm so excited guys! No words can describe how ready I am for this! XD**

 **Anyways, I hope you enjoyed the chapter, and again, sorry for such a long delay. May the force be with you, always!**

 **-Superherotiger**

 **P.S I think the song 'Perfect World' by Simple Plan totally fits Kanan in this story. What do you guys think about that?**


	8. A New Discovery

**Hey everyone! Day 6 of my 'Super Marathon'! I hope you've been enjoying it so far! Now, I'll just warn you all that this is a shorter chapter, but has something very important in it! I won't hold you up any long though! Enjoy! :D**

 **Q/A's:**

 **When is Ezra coming back?**

 _*Groans* Okay, I'm just going to make it short and simple: EZRA IS NEVER COMING BACK TO LIFE! THE ONLY TIMES HE'LL SHOW UP IN THIS STORY IS AS A SPIRIT AND FORCE GHOST! PEASE STOP ASKING ME WHEN HE WILL COME BACK, BECAUSE HE ISN'T! *Inhales sharply, and releases it in a long sigh* Sorry. I just needed to get that out there._

 **Reactions:**

 **Chiibe the Rebel- Yeah! For once in a long time, Kanan smiled a genuine smile! :D**

 **DevilSPR- Barely though. ;D**

 **Azulablue- XD Yeah, we have the same voice actors. We all still speak English, and the only difference between Americans and Australians are probably just our accents. :D**

 **Paint the Fangirling Uniwolf- Yeah. All I could probably do is probably kick, scream, swing my fists wildly and bite. XD**

 **Jelsa777- Sorry for the wait, but hopefully you enjoy the chapter! :D**

 **Coral Iturbe- Lo siento por la larga espera . ¡Espero que disfrutes!**

 **Midnight Luna- You just led me one of my new favourite songs! :D**

 **Taylor Fireheart- Don't worry, I'm sure all your questions will be answered in due time. :D**

 **Jessica- I'm glad you're enjoying it, and I think that's a really good idea! I'll probably use it at some point. :D**

 **PurpleTurtle- When I made this sequel, I knew it wouldn't be for everyone. I appreciate your review, and I do accept constructive criticism with great thought. Since through my eyes, I know Jet's past, her thoughts, her behaviour, her fears and her future, she seems to have a lot more layers and appears unique from Ezra. But I guess sometimes that makes it confusing for readers, because they don't know her like I do. But since Ezra coming back obviously means a lot to you, I would suggest waiting out for the Alternate ending I'll be making of 'Test of Strength, Test of Mind' once I finish this story.**

* * *

 ** _Five days after Jet joined the Crew…_**

Kanan's POV

* * *

The cool Lothal breeze drifted over my skin, threading gently through my hair. Glinting stars were scattered over the inky black sky, the moon shining dimly from above. I took a deep breath, letting the crisp, fresh air fill my lungs. I sifted my hands through the fresh, fertile soil beneath me and sighed deeply. Outside was always so peaceful. An unseen weight lifting greatly whenever I watched the stars absently, just sitting on a hill and letting my emotions slide off my shoulders.

But tonight, my mind was abuzz with thoughts. The crew had stayed on Lothal ever since we got the newest member of our crew, trying to stay low and not attract any Imperial attention. Because for the Empire's record, we had all disappeared. And it was safer that way. I knew that we didn't have to run, and I knew that I didn't have to lose anyone else. And even though I'd never admit it, I was far from the Jedi I once was. I was weaker. _Broken_. With claustrophobia and limited force abilities, it was undeniable that if it came down to it, I wouldn't be able to protect my family. I was drifting through life without a cause, teetering on the edge of insanity.

I wouldn't manage if anything were to happen to the others. The thought sent daggers through my heart, my eyes stinging and hands clenching…

I stood up and headed back for the Ghost, my night of serenity ending abruptly. Walking up the ramp and climbing the ladder, I entered into the silent, eerie hall. I raised a hand, my fingertips trailing gently over Sabine's door. Pushing out with the force, I could sense her steady signature, her mind at peace besides her ever increasing emotions. I smiled slightly. It had been a long time since Sabine was able to rest soundly for the whole night, same for everyone else.

I lowered my hand and placed my palm on Zeb's door, the Lasat in a deep, but troubled slumber. Continuing down the hall, I searched for Hera's warm presence. She was sound asleep, the unfamiliar sense of relief and hope flowing through her fluidly.

I sighed in relief, knowing that every one of my crew was safe. Slowly, my nerves began to calm as I headed for the common room. The door slid open with a hiss, the room illuminated by a dim light. I glanced around the empty room… or at least I thought it was empty, until my gaze settled on Jet's sleeping form. I jumped a little, completely forgetting that the teen was even here. It would definitely take some adjusting.

She was curled on her side, laying across the seats under Ezra's portrait. The reason she was out here was because there was no other room for her anywhere else on the Ghost. Zeb had immediately denied the suggestion of his cabin, and Sabine and Hera's rooms didn't have a second bed. And despite Hera's protests, Jet had insisted that sleeping in the common room was fine, or at least until we could rig up a more permanent solution.

Surprisingly, her hood was down, the faint light making her earthy skin glow with life. The garment was draped over her body, acting as a second blanket to the one she was burrowed under. Her satchel was hugged to her chest, rising up and down with her steady breaths.

Suddenly, Jet shuddered and curled in on herself. I realised how chilly it was in here, the cold probably unusually frosty for the teen who lived on warm, dry Lothal. Sighing, I went and pulled out a spare blanket and lay it over the teen gently. She shifted uncomfortably for a moment, muttering something under her breath as she grinded her teeth. I bent down and placed my hand gently on her shoulder, trying to calm her guarded and distressed mind through the force. After a silent moment, her muscles relaxed and she fell back into a peaceful slumber.

I frowned, taking a moment to reflect on our newest member. So many times it was hard to believe that an innocent girl like Jet was hidden behind her cloak. She hadn't revealed anything about her past and _never_ exposed her face, not even to Hera, who was by far the most trustworthy person alive. But her combat skills were incredible, her force connection strong. I had never seen a child of her age be so capable and self-reliant, beside Ezra… or Sabine.

Yet only now when I watched her youthful face beam with somewhat tinted innocence, it hit me that she was far too young to be drawn into this. Even with her strengths and skills, she wasn't ready or nearly prepared enough for what we were involved in. Ezra wasn't ready. Sometimes I even doubt if Sabine should be mixed up in all this. And yet here we all were. Every once and a while, I wondered if it would have been better for everyone if I hadn't offered Jet shelter at the Ghost five days ago. Would she have been safer, if we weren't there?

I was snapped out of my thoughts when Jet's satchel slipped out of her arms, crumpling to the ground and scattering her possessions all over the floor. I winced, Jet stirring ever so gently for a breath taking moment. When she relaxed back into her warm cacoon of blankets, I sighed in relief and bent down to pick up the objects.

There was only a few things it seemed. I scooped up the small cluster credits, placing it back in her satchel softly. Next there was a worn piece of paper with writing on it, so I picked it up and examined it in my palms. My eyes widened when I read the bold, curved words that wrote:

 _'_ _Today, a little angel was gifted into my arms. I'll never forget the moment I stared into your vibrant, brown eyes my beautiful daughter.'_

 _-Love, your Father_

I turned the fragile paper over and realised it was actually a photo. There was a tan woman with curly black hair and warm amber eyes standing next to an earthy skinned male with broad shoulders and a regal stance. Both were smiling, staring at the small, joyful baby cradled in the woman's arms. I glanced up at Jet, realisation hitting me as made the connection. But my chest ached when I thought about the teen's parents, who she claimed had died already. A little, innocent girl whose loving family was taken away seemed too hard to fathom. Why were kids like Ezra and Jet thrown such rubbish cards in life? It didn't seem right.

Sighing, I went to slip the photo back into Jet's bag when I saw another piece of paper sticking out of the satchel. Usually, I wouldn't have even cared about it, if not for the large, printed words 'MISSING' that was showing. I knew I shouldn't have been going through the girl's things, but curiosity got the best of me as I silently extracted the poster. I had to contain a gasp of shock as I read over the message, a picture of Jet pasted beneath.

 ** _MISSING:_**

 ** _Jessica Firewood_**

 _Age 14, female, and human. She has long black hair, dark brown eyes, light brown skin and is professionally trained in hand-to-hand combat. If seen, please contact this frequency…_

So many thoughts ran through my mind at once.

 _She has a home?!_

 _Where did she get professional training?_

 _Whoever is looking for her must really care to put out posters._

 _Did she run away?_

 _Why was she on the streets?_

 _…_ _Did it say 'Jessica'?!_

I didn't know how to feel at first. Why had Jet… or, _Jessica_ been lying to us all this time? If she had a family, why would she leave them in such dire times? It was obvious they were worried about her if they were willing to publically announce it. Maybe they had been split up, and she couldn't find her way back home. Or maybe she thought the Empire had killed her parents long ago, when they had actually survived and were now looking for her. It was only the responsible thing to return her, wasn't it?

My gaze shifted to the frequency.

And suddenly, a thought hit me. If I contacted this frequency and returned Jet back to her guardian, then they could be happy _and_ safe. Jet would be fed properly, have a stable shelter and a proper caregiver. She also wouldn't have to face the dangers of being a rebel, like being tracked by the Empire for her force sensitivity or the possibility of being shot. She would be _safer… wouldn't she?_

Jet began to stir, feeling for her satchel that was missing from her arms. I winced, adrenaline pumping as I was force to make a split second decision on what to do. Finally, I tore the frequency number from the poster, sliding the paper back into her satchel and gently placing it in her outstretched arms. The teen immediately latched onto the bag, clutching it to her chest and gliding back into slumber.

I stood up and backed away silently, exiting the common room and retreating back to my cabin as quietly as possible. And as I sat on the edge of my bed, staring at the paper intently, I mentally warred over what to do. I knew that I wasn't going to get any sleep that night…

* * *

 **That's right! The cliff hangers are back! XD I'll leave you guys wondering on what Kanan will do after finding out about this. Tell me what you think he'll do, I'd love to hear what you think. Anyways, I hope you all have a great day and may the force be with you, always!**

 **-Supeherotiger**


	9. Unforgettable Trade

**Okay guys! Sorry it took a while to get this one ready. Hopefully it satisfies you after the last cliff hanger…. Unless there's another cliff hanger! :O Guess you'll just have to find out. ;D**

 **Q/A's**

 ** _How does Ezra know how to become a force ghost?_**

 _Well, he's not actually a force ghost, per say. Remember how in 'Test of Strength, Test of Mind', the spirit of anyone who died in the cave became bound to it? Remember how they were able to manifest into illusions and other things? Well, Ezra is essentially doing that, but combining it with his strong connection to the force to reach further than just the cave. I hope that clears it up. ;D_

 **Reactions:**

 **Rebekahtpe- Yeah, I accidentally posted it in the wrong one, but it should be fixed now. :D**

 **Paint the Fangirling UniWolf- Wait till you read this one! ;D**

 **Azulablue92- I'll warn you right now, there are a ton of hurts and feels in this chapter. :(**

 **SilverShinesInMoonlight- Hmm. Well, that's good to know… Enjoy the chapter! :D**

 **DevilSPR- You'll have to find out. ;D**

 **Jelsa777- And now you find out his decision! ;D**

 **EmilyBridger- Aw, thanks! :D**

 **Midnight Luna- ;D I hope you enjoy this chapter, and hopefully I answered your question clearly in the Q/A's section. :D**

 **Coral Iturbe-** **Jet se enterará en algún momento. Espero que disfruten el capítulo! :)**

 **CloudyRaven- That is a very good prediction. But you'll have to find out if you're correct in this chapter! ;D**

 **Schyrsivochter- I'm glad to hear that! :D**

* * *

Jet's POV

* * *

"Psst. Jet," a voice whispered, dragging me out of my slumber and back into reality.

My eyelids slid open, my vision disoriented and blurry. I yawned, pushing myself up and blinking a few times sluggishly. A hand rested gently on my shoulder, a figure watching me with blank cyan eyes as I woke from my dreams.

"You up?" Kanan's voice asked softly.

I pulled off the layers of blankets and swung my legs over the edge seats, replying "What time is it?"

Kanan's brows furrowed, his lips pulling into a thin line as he stood up. "Early. But you and I are going to go get some supplies," he answered sternly.

I stared at him drowsily for a long moment, my brain too tired to fully process his words. After a silent minute passed, I stretched my arms out and groaned. "M'kay," I said. "Just one sec."

He nodded and headed for the door, saying "Meet me in the cargo hold when you're ready."

And with that, the man exited the common room and left me to prepare. I took this moment to fully wake myself up, warming up my muscles and slipping on my boots. I flattened my morning hair, dawned my cloak and folded the blankets neatly that Hera had provided, deciding to leave my satchel on the chairs since I knew I'd be coming back for them. Swiftly, I headed for the cargo bay, sensing Kanan's impatience starting to grow.

It was strange that no one else was up yet. Hera was usually the first awake, followed by Kanan, me, Sabine and finally Zeb. And though this spiked an unsettling feeling in my gut, I pushed it away and entered the cargo hold. Kanan was leaning against the wall, a cloak made of brown cloth draped on his shoulders as well as his usual outfit. He straightened when I approached. "Okay, I'm ready. So what are we doing?" I asked.

He began to walk down the open ramp, gesturing for me to follow as he explained "We're meeting up with a source of mine in Capital City to… make a trade…"

I nodded in understanding as I strolled by his side. The rest of the journey was silent. Kanan didn't seem to be in a chatty mood at the moment, which wasn't unusual. In the past few days I had tried starting up conversations with him or with any of the other crew members. Hera was always welcome to chat, Zeb liked short and simple conversations, Sabine loved to talk about her artworks, Chopper mused about all the pranks he could pull on Zeb (not that he would ever go through with them for some reason), and Kanan… well… he was tricky. He could be open on some days, while completely reclusive on others. And in the few conversations I _had_ managed to spark with the Jedi, he always seemed to be off in a distant galaxy when we talked.

But shrugging it off, we continued our trek to Capital City. By the time we got there, the sun had risen just over the horizon and a cool breeze drifted throughout the town. Kanan led us towards a bar on the corner of a street, florescent signs blinking above the entrance. "Keep a low profile," Kanan instructed as he raised his own hood.

I nodded and trailed after him as he entered the bar, immediately amazed by how many different species of lifeforms could be present in such a small area. Many people were strewn about the booths and tables drinking their worries away, the ones who were really out of it unconscious on the floor or in the corner. The stench of alcohol hung in the air, as well as the combined mixture of smoke and putrid breath that burnt your nostrils. Usually, I would have been alarmed by such a place, but knowing that Kanan was right in front of me lessened my concern.

He sat down at a table in the far corner and surveyed the bar with keen aquamarine eyes. Cautiously, I took my seat across from him and asked "So what exactly does this source of yours look like?"

Kanan didn't reply, and his expression was shadowed by the rim of his hood. This left an awkward silence to descend upon us, leaving my mind to wander. After about five minutes of waiting, I was beginning to lose hope when danger suddenly screamed at me through the force. My muscles tensed and my back straightened right when a firm hand grasped my shoulder. I yelped out in surprise and jolted up, attempting to whip around when the hand pressed into my nerves and froze me in place.

I felt completely helpless as I stood there motionless. But the worst part was hearing the deep voice that followed after. "Jessica! I've been looking _everywhere_ for you!" it exclaimed while I was pulled back against a figure. "I've been _so_ worried."

I grunted, finding it difficult to breathe as I glanced up at the broad, strong male. Piercing jade eyes stared right back at me, sending chills down my spine and making me fill with absolute terror. _No… not him… anyone but him!_

"You had your poor Father worried sick," he said through a force smile, his tone like venom to my ears.

I swallowed deeply, unable to respond in any way with his hand still paralysing me in place. I wanted to scream so badly. Warn Kanan in some way or another that this man was dangerous. But Kanan simply stood up and watched the scene intently, unaware of the man's dark intentions. The man with short black hair and dark brown skin turned to Kanan and said "Thank you Sir for returning my daughter to me. Here is your reward."

The world seemed to shatter all at once. I watched with horrified eyes as the man handed Kanan a small box stacked with credits inside. The rebel took it hesitantly, staring down at his glinting reward distastefully, before stating firmly "I expect she will be safe in your hands."

"Of course. Jessica will get _everything_ she deserves," he smiled, tugging my shoulder and attempting to lead me away.

But a fire began to ignite within, adrenaline pumping back into my veins as I tried to squirm out of his grasp. He continued to drag me towards the exit, even when I regained control of my own body again. I opened my mouth to scream furiously at the Jedi that had betrayed me, but Kanan had already slipped away through the sea of people. I tried to redirect my fury to the man dragging me along the street, but he stabbed something sharp into my shoulder that made my head spin. I began to feel drowsy, my limbs weakening and my vision blurring. "Your force powers won't save you this time, _Daughter_ ," he spat.

Now, with no way to escape and no one to direct my anger to, the fire inside me was left to burn and grow.

My Father's harsh grasp shoved me all the way back to a large, polished building near the centre of town. He led me down the side alley and used the 'staff-only' elevator to get to the top floor. The whole time my head was spinning, and a wave of exhaustion hit me every time I tried to reach out with the force. Father was unusually silent as the elevator lifted, but his fury was fully released when we made it to the penthouse floor. "I can't believe you!" he roared, shoving me onto the carpeted ground roughly. "You will be punished for bringing dishonour to the family name!"

I groaned, glaring at him and snapping "That's rich coming from the man that killed his own _wife_!"

He bared his teeth, pulling something off the mantle and letting the hiss of an electric whip sizzle through the air. I froze instinctively at the sound, flinching when the yellow glow of the whip trailed by my face as he paced back and forth slowly. I stared up at the man with wide, fearful eyes, but those green orbs showed no signs of mercy. "I will show you the definition of pain, you foolish girl," he snarled. He raised his arm, bringing it down with no sign of hesitation.

 _CRACK!_

"AHHH!"

* * *

Kanan's POV

* * *

I walked absently across Lothal's grassy plains as the sun's rays beat down on me. The guilt was starting to settle in my stomach while I rolled my actions over in my mind. Hera would be extremely mad when she found out that I had handed Jet back to her father, but maybe she would go easy on me when I explained that she would be safer that way.

Jet had definitely reacted differently to what I expected. It was almost as if she was frozen. She didn't murmur a single word, and she didn't move at all when she was faced with him. It was… _odd_.

Suddenly, there was a growl in the thick grass beside me and something suddenly latched onto my face. I yelped out in surprise and fell onto the ground as a ferocious Loth-cat hissed and clawed at my face. Quickly, I grabbed the feline by the waist and threw it away, trying to recover from the ambush.

"I can't believe you!" a familiar voice snapped.

I gasped in shock and glanced up, finding only the aggravated Loth-cat staring at me from atop a rock with piercing blue orbs. I rubbed my eyes with balled fists, wondering if I was starting to go mad, but almost screamed in surprise when Ezra suddenly appeared in the Loth-cat's place. The boy glared at me with narrowed eyes, his brows creased in a deep frown. "Ezra?" I started. "W-wha-"

"How could you have done that to her Kanan?!" he suddenly boomed, throwing his hands in the air exasperatedly. "All you had to do was give her a change but _'No!'_! You just _had_ to make your one opportunity disappear!"

I was slightly surprised by the outburst, but asked cautiously "What are you talking about?"

He groaned, dragging a hand down his face slowly. "Jet! I'm talking about Jet!" he yelled. "Y'know? The one you just sold to her Father for a reward."

"But I didn't give her away for the reward," I defended.

"Yeah, but Jet doesn't see it that way!" he pointed out. Sighing, Ezra ran a hand through his hair drearily. "This is bad… I mean, this is _really_ bad… why couldn't you just let her help you Kanan?" The anger had seeped out of his tone entirely and now he watched me with desperate, electric eyes.

"I-I don't know," I replied nervously, fidgeting with my hands. "It just didn't feel… _right_. I mean… she's almost exactly like you! And I'm supposed to just be okay with that?!"

His expression softened. "Kanan, she's not like me," he stated. "Sure, we have a lot of similarities, but if you had actually taken the time to get to know her, you'd know that she's unique in her own ways. If you had _listened_ to me, you'd know I didn't want her to _replace_ me, but to make a space in the family for _herself_." He sighed deeply, pausing for a moment, before adding "You're not the only one that needs help Kanan. She needs it too."

I groaned, refusing to look at the teen. "Kanan," Ezra started sternly. "I never said it'd be easy. And this is still your choice. If you want things to stay the way they are, where you're all miserable and broken, than fine. Don't come crawling to me for help. But, if you want this second chance, all you have to do is…"

Curiously, I glanced up, but was surprised to only see the now passive Loth-cat sitting there on the rock. It purred for a moment, before scampering off into the lush grass.

 _"_ _Listen,"_ Ezra's voice echoed in my mind.

I looked around for any sight of the boy, but the plains were empty. I was still sitting on the ground, and Capital city was only a 10 minute journey away from here. If I really wanted, I could just book it back to the Ghost and try to forget about it, but for some reason, deep inside, I really _did_ want to listen this time.

I shifted into a meditation position and closed my eyes, taking slow and steady breaths. Once again, I let all the sounds of the wind and the grass merge together, before fading off into the distance. All was silent for a long moment, till a faint, painful cry rung in my ears. I focused on the source of the sound, trying to distinguish who and what was going on.

 _'_ _AHHH!'_ it started to scream. _'Please! Stop! Aa-AHHH!'_

I gasped, my eyes shooting open when I realised Jet's distinct voice. Immediately, I stood up and bolted back to Capital City without a second thought…


	10. A Crew Divided

**Hey guys! Sorry for the long wait. I actually had this chapter ready, but there was a little glitch with Fanfiction where the reviews weren't showing. But it should be fixed now! :D Okay, so I hope you enjoy the chapter guys! I worked real hard on this one, so hopefully you like it! ;D**

 **AND just a short warning, there will be lots of injuries, bleeding, pain etc. in this chapter.**

 **Q/A's and Reactions:**

 **Schyrsivochter- Then I hope this chapter lives up to the wait! ;D**

 **DevilSPR- Wait until you read this chapter. :(**

 **Azulablue92- Omg dude. This chapter has so many feelz. And I mean, SO MANY FEELS! :O**

 **Jedi Jelsa777- Yes, the force works in mysterious ways… and so does Ezra, for that matter. XD**

 **Paint the Fangirling UniWolf (that had too much sugar)- I'm sure you** ** _would_** **smack a chair over him. XD**

 **Jessica- I'm glad to hear that! :D**

 **Midnight Luna- Yeesh. I'll warn you. Jet gets pretty beat up in this chapter. :(**

 **Coral Iturbe- Sí. Tonto Kanan .**

 **Spectre14- Kanan really shouldn't have been snooping around her stuff, and I have the feeling Jet won't let this slip easily. But ya know, that's just a hunch. XD**

 **EmilyBridger- Hm… I haven't thought about that. How about I'll let you guys come up with a cool nickname for her? :D**

 **Jessica- (Are you the same Jessica as before, or, a different one?) But I hope you had a happy new year too! :D**

* * *

Kanan's POV

* * *

I had finally made it to the city, and with each stride Jet's agonising screams echoed louder and louder through my skull. I tried to focus in on her presence to locate her, and even if our connection was the weakest of all the crew, I could still sense her signature inside a large, pristine building a few blocks away. But, it was fading, the light that always shining from within her slowly being extinguished. Emotions conflicted inside me, and I wasted no time in bolting towards the structure, pushing past the crowds of people and other bystanders.

When I finally got to the building, I quickly assessed my options. I could sense her on the top floor, and the only way up was either scaling the side or going in the elevator. _Tight spaces are definitely out of the question, so climbing it is._

I rounded the corner and slipped into a side alley, using a set of stairs from the next door structure to get high enough. Once I had reached the roof, I could see a balcony on the penthouse level that would lead directly to Jet. So, I took a run up and leapt across the gap to land on the platform. Silently making my way to the glass doors, I glanced in and observed the situation.

But my blood went cold and my gut churned when I saw Jet on her knees, sobbing uncontrollably as blood stained her arms and back. Her father loomed over her intimidatingly, an electric whip grasped in his hand tightly. "This is your last warning. Submit!" he roared, cracking the whip right above her head and making her flinch.

"Never!" she barked, though the fear and pain was still obvious in her eyes.

The man immediately growled, raising the whip and bringing it down with a sickening crack. Jet's excruciating scream broke through the air as the rope made contact with her back and electricity surged throughout her body, making her twitch and squirm. Blood began staining through her torn shirt, tears streaming down her earthy skin.

I could feel the anger boil within me as I raised my hands to the door and focused the force on the glass. Cracks began to form from under my palms, reaching all the way to the edges of the frame and shattering the glass. I stepped in over the shards and pieces as Jet and her father stared at me in shock. "Kanan?" Jet croaked, voice scratchy and hoarse.

"Who are you?!" her father snapped, flicking the whip through the air with a hiss.

Jet winced at the sound, curling in on herself and burying her face into her blood stained hands. I instinctively reached out for her, murmuring "Jet."

Her father scoffed. "Jet? What kind of a name is that?"

I growled, glaring at the male and whipping out my blaster. My aim was straight for his head, and his expression quickly hardened. Slowly, he extinguished the whip and raised his hands, stepping back towards the wall. "Now, no need to be drastic," he said with a smirk, reaching for something on the mantle.

Jet glanced up and gasped, screaming "Kanan! Watch out!"

But it was too late. The man had pulled a small, thin pipe from the bench and shot something in my direction, a sharp pain spiking up from my neck. I yelped in surprise, reaching up to my neck and pulling a small dart from my skin. I stared at it blankly for a long moment, until the world began to spin and all the energy drained from my muscles. " _No_ ," Jet wheezed.

Her father grinned, running over and knocking the gun from my hand. He proceed to throw me to the ground, punching me in the face and in the gut. I tried to fight back, but I was becoming weaker within each second, my vision blurry and coordination none. Finally, after a pummel of hits, he stepped back and activated the whip, glaring at me furiously. I pushed myself up, but his boot held me back onto the floor. I stared up at him in a daze, the whip a yellow blur through my eyes.

He raised the whip, poised to strike, but when it came back down, it never hit. Because Jet had stepped forward, caught his arm mid swing and pushed him back. "Don't touch him!" she roared, face twisted in anger.

The male growled, speaking with a tone like venom "Must I teach you another lesson, daughter?"

"Your daughter died with her mother," she snapped, clenching her fists. "Now all that's left is _me_."

His brows furrowed, and he twirled the whip in the air intimidatingly. Jet hesitated, before bolting forward with a fierce battle cry. She punched him and kicked at his legs while still twisting out of the way of the whip when necessary. Swiping at his face, he caught her wrist mid-swing and twisted it abnormally. Jet screamed, staggering onto her knees as she struggled to be released from her Father's tight grip. Blood began oozing from her already cut hands, tears leaking from her clenched eyes.

Finally, I mustered the strength and stood up, quickly pulling out my lightsaber and activating it. The blue beam sizzled through the air, but the male didn't look impressed. "You're still trying," he sighed, taking a step away from Jet. "Too bad she'll have to pay for your own insolence."

I glared at him coldly, but suddenly, he twisted around and swung the whip down at Jet, who had just tried to get up again. There was a sickly crack, a horrific scream. Nobody moved as Jet held her face in her hands, releasing small whimpers of pain.

"Jet!" I called, but she didn't respond. She just sat there on her knees, weeping into her bloody hands.

I stared at her with wide eyes, her father watching the girl with a firm expression. But he suddenly turned to me and lunged forward, catching me by surprised as the whip made contact with my leg. I screamed as electricity spiralled throughout my body, my lightsaber falling out of my grasp as I collapsed onto my hands and knees. He grinned, bending down and scooping the lightsaber up into his palm. "This will make a _fine_ trophy," he smirked. He dropped the whip and instead held the now active lightsaber in both hands. "I wonder if the Empire would prefer you alive, or _dead_."

I glanced up at him, panting from the shock of the whip. He spun the blade around experimentally, before raising it above his head in a position to swing at me. "Sorry it had to end this way," he said, though there was no hint of sympathy in his voice.

Suddenly, another sound broke through the air as the yellow whip curled around his arm. He roared in agony, stumbling backwards as the sparks of electricity rushed through him. The rope retracted back to the holder as I glanced at them in surprise. Jet stood there, grasping onto the whip with red, stained hands. Her faced was smeared with blood, and on her right eye lay a deep, long cut from her forehead to her cheekbone. It was bleeding profusely, and her normally joyfully eyes were cold and fierce.

She stared at me for a long, tense moment, before shifting her attention to her father, who was trying to recover from the attack. Her eyes narrowed, and she bared her teeth. "You want a fight? Fine then," she snarled, cracking the whip above her head. "Let's fight."

Her father activated the lightsaber, sliding into a defensive position as Jet circled him with slow, deliberate strides. No move was too hasty, each fluid step there for a reason. The male was first to attack, lunging forward with the blade pointing out. Jet side stepped out of the way, grasping onto his sleeve and throwing him away. He stumbled backwards into a table while Jet jumped onto the edge of the lounge, a determined expression on her face. She spun the whip in the air before bringing it down with incredible force. Her father scurried out of the way, the rope making contact with a chair and leaving a scorched mark on the back.

He jumped forward, swiping with the blue blade ferociously at the girl. But Jet gracefully dodged his attacks, whipping him once in the leg and twice on the shoulder. The two continued their dangerous dance for a while longer, Jet flowing through her moves while her father, who was obviously becoming concerned, was unable to find an opening of attack. Until suddenly, a cruel grin pulled at his lips. "You have become strong, daughter. But you are still as foolish as your mother," he taunted.

Jet growled, leaping forward and kicking him in the stomach. "Don't talk about my mother that way!" she snapped.

He clutched onto his waist, catching his breath for a moment, before replying "It's true. She, like yourself, refused to Empire. And look what happened for her treachery. Soon, you will face the same-"

Jet roared, sprinting forward and throwing the whip at his legs. The rope twisted around his ankles, not only electrocuting him, but rendering him unable to move as Jet tackled him onto the ground. She began pummelling him with punches to the face and chest, even when he tried desperately to block it. The whip and lightsaber had been completely forgotten as the two brawled like animals on the floor, rolling around and trying to get the upper hand.

Her father caught her hand, which Jet quickly bit as a counter attack. He yelled out in pain, Jet scrambling away and picking up the closest weapon, which was the whip. She stood up just as he reached for the lightsaber, but she quickly brought the whip down on his hand. He screamed, grasping his hand tightly as Jet used the whip to grab the lightsaber. Now, she had both weapons. One lethal, one torturous.

The male quickly pushed himself up, but Jet whipped him right across the chest, causing him to stumble backwards and onto his knees. Blood began staining his shirt where a long cut lay, and he was panting heavily. Jet strode forward until she was right in front of him, holding the tip of the lightsaber to his neck. The two exchanged a look. Her father glanced up at her with distaste, though a layer of fear was glazing his jade eyes. Jet on the other hand stood strong, expression stern as she took deep, stabilising breaths. "It's over," she said.

He glanced from her, to the lightsaber, then back to her, challenging "Do it then."

Jet's glare softened, and the blade began to waver. The tension had released from her muscles as she stared at her Father with wide eyes.

He scoffed. "You're not even strong enough to kill me," he spat.

The fire ignited within Jet again as she swung the whip with a silencing crack, holding the edge of the lightsaber so close to his skin that it grazed his neck. The male clamped his mouth shut, and though he didn't obviously show it, the fear was radiating off him in waves. Jet glared at him, saying softly "There is a difference, between being too _weak_ to kill, and being _unwilling_ to kill. And unlike you, I would _never_ stoop so low as to kill my own family out of sheer anger."

She bent down so they were eye level, staring at him intensely through her fiery brown eyes. He visibly flinched. " _You_ are the one that has brought shame to the family name," she whispered coldly. "When you are actually _worthy_ of my time, we will fight again. But until that day, you are _nothing_ to me."

Green orbs narrowed in her direction, but Jet suddenly deactivated the lightsaber and pressed two fingers to his forehead. He froze up, expression going blank as his eyes rolled into the back of his head. His eyelids fluttered closed, and his limp body collapsed onto the ground, chest rising and falling evenly.

Jet rose slowly, glancing down at her hands for a long moment. I finally managed to push myself up, stabilising myself on the charred chair while my legs buckled. Jet stared at the whip that lay nestled in her palm blankly, before she closed her eyes and her fingers curled around the handle. She took a deep breath, seeming to centre herself.

After a moment, her eyes shot open and she turned to face me, anger and frustration obvious in her expression. She threw me my lightsaber, which was now stained red and sticky as I fumbled to catch it. "Sorry 'bout the mess," she muttered, though her tone showed no signs of being apologetic.

She began to walk off, when I called "Wait, Jet! Or… Jessica!"

She froze, glancing over her shoulder and snarling " _Don't_ call me that."

My eyes widened. "Sorry, sorry. Just…" I hesitated, before instead asking "Are you okay?"

She scoffed, snatching a small box from a top the mantle and stuffing her pockets with the credits that were inside. "No Kanan. I'm just _great_ ," she snarked sarcastically. She headed over to the small coffee table, which had been cracked in half during the fight. She overstepped her unconscious father as if he was nothing, reaching out to take her cloak. But she retracted her hand quickly when it made contact with the cloth, hissing through clenched teeth. I walked over, attempting to take a look at her wounds when she pulled away defensively. "Don't!" she snapped, taking the cloak hastily despite her pain.

"I'm just trying to help," I replied, wincing when I saw the deep cuts lining her back.

"I think you've helped enough today," she retorted, swinging the garment over her shoulders.

I frowned. "I'm sorry, I didn't know that-"

"Exactly!" she barked, glaring at me furiously. "If you had actually taken the time to care, you'd have twigged on that I ran away for some reason or another! But I guess you _don't!_ "

She twisted on her heel, making a B-line for the elevator. "I'll make it easier on you and just _leave_ if I'm so much trouble!" she yelled.

"Jet, wait!" I called, stumbling after her. My head was still pounding, and when I made it to the doors, I froze up. The space was so small, and the roof looked so weak. _They'll crumble and crush her for sure! I can't let her stay in here! It's too dangerous!_

Jet just watched me with an unimpressed posture, arms folded heavily. "Look, I don't need your help. So just stay away from me," she growled, aggressively slamming the button.

The doors began to close, and despite my claustrophobia, I slipped into the elevator at the last second. I grasped tightly onto the support bars, clenching my eyes shut is the lift began to lower and my heart began to race. "I thought you were claustrophobic," Jet stated bluntly.

I grunted, trying not to focus on my stinging neck or constricting chest. Instead, I asked "What was in that dart he shot me with?"

"It was just a force-inhibitor," she explained. "You'll feel weird for a bit, but it'll wear off."

I touched the tender wound on my neck, surprised when my fingers came back smudged with blood. "Did he do that to you too?" I probed cautiously.

She nodded sharply, still not facing me though. "Mine was a higher dose, but I'm used to it now," she murmured drearily. "Made the whipping less painful at least," she muttered under her breath.

Silence ensued for an awkward moment, before I asked softly "Did he… do that to you often?"

She spun around, cloak twirling as she snapped "Look! I don't question you about your whole 'cave experience' a year ago, so lay off!"

The lift jolted, the doors opening with a pressurised hiss. Jet saw her opportunity and quickly bolted out of the elevator without another word. But this time, I didn't hesitate. I ran after her, through the reception area and out the double glass doors. I wasn't going to let her go. Not again.

The streets weren't too busy, but people watched as I ran after the girl quickly. "Jet!" I called as I stumbled through the roads. I felt like I was going to be sick, the foreign toxin flowing through my bloodstream with each heartbeat. Suddenly, I tripped on something and tumbled to the ground, a cloud of dust whipping up beside me. I groaned, holding my head as I glanced up with blurry vision. Jet stood at the far end of the street, just watching me from the distance. A flash of recognition rippled through the force.

Slowly, I pushed myself back up with increased effort, pacing towards the girl hastily. I was surprised when she didn't move as I approached, waiting patiently at the cross section. Finally, I was standing in front of her, both of us exchanging a glance. I sighed deeply. "Jet," I pleaded softly. "Please let me help you."

I couldn't see her face, and her emotions were clouded through the force. But, after a long, tense moment, she nodded her head and turned to continue walking. "I'm only going back for my stuff, got it?" she pointed out as I walked beside her.

"And let us treat your wounds," I added.

"Which I only have because of _you_ ," she grumbled.

I winced at the comment, but decided not to elaborate on it further. We continued our journey in silence, a thick tension settling between us. When we reached the outskirts of town, Jet began to stumble, her legs buckling slightly. "Are you-"

"I'm fine," she snapped, taking a moment to regain her balance.

But when she took a step forward she fell onto her knees. I bent down beside her, trying to lift her back up when she shrugged out of my grasp. "D-Don't," she stuttered, breathing heavily.

"Jet, you're losing too much blood," I pointed out. "Let me see your hands."

She grunted, shifting to sit down on the soft dirt. She refused to look at me, but begrudgingly raised her hands. Carefully, I inspected her injuries, shocked and horrified at the damage. Multiple cuts laced her palms, the flesh exposed and her skin painted crimson red. I quickly pulled a small packet from off my belt, ripping it open and pulling out a sterile cloth. I pressed it to her hand, and the girl almost screamed in agony, biting her tongue and releasing a muffled moan instead. "Sorry," I murmured, trying to wipe them as quickly as possible.

She grunted as I continued the process on the other hand, before reaching to pull back her hood. She realised a moment too late, and her face was already exposed by the time she swatted my hand away. I could feel my stomach churn at the sight. It wasn't as horrific as before, but the cut was still leaking a trail of fresh blood down her face. Jet bowed her head, her cheeks tinging red. Or maybe that was just the dried blood.

She hastily yanked her hood back up, pushing herself up onto her feet with a hiss of pain. "Jet," I called as she began walking again, her pace increased. I galloped to beside her, placing my hand on her shoulder to twist her around. But she yelped in pain and jumped away slightly, grunting when she touched her arm. "Can you just…!" she yelled, before trailing off. She sighed, continuing to walk again. "Can we just get to the Ghost?"

I opened my mouth to protest, but decided not to fight any further. I followed after her, our speed a little bit faster than before and the hot sun beating down on our backs. For the rest of the walk, neither of us said a word. I let the silence consume us, and I figured it would be much more comfortable than starting a conversation with the obviously temperamental teen. When we walked past the hill that Ezra had talked to me on, I glanced up at the rock. And there, to my surprise, sat a loth-cat perched on the stone. It watched us was electric blue eyes, before its ears drooped and it released a small whimper. It turned, leaping into the tall grass and disappearing.

My expression softened, and I bowed my head in shame.

Finally, we came to the clearing where the Ghost was parked. Jet and I walked up the ramp and entered the cargo hold, where Sabine and Zeb were moving different crates. "Ah, you're back," Sabine announced, with a smirk. "Hera! They're here!"

Not long after, the familiar Twi'lek slid down the ladder and faced us. "Hey guys. I'm going to need you to…" she trailed off, eyeing us suspiciously. "What's wrong?"

Jet was staring at the floor, her arms crossed and cloak covering her blood stained hands. I sighed, reaching over and pulling her hood down. Hera, Sabine and Zeb gasped simultaneously at the sight, completely mortified expressions on their faces. "WHAT HAPPENED?!" Hera exploded, running over and inspecting the girl quickly, tilting her head in different directions and touching the wound gently.

Jet winced, but unlike with me, she didn't protest her actions. I cleared my throat, saying "Jet. Your hands."

The girl glared at me coldly, before raising her arms into view. Hera gasped again, eyes wide with shock as she loosely treaded her fingers over the whip marks. "Someone going to explain what happened?!" Sabine snapped as she paced to beside Hera's side, scanning over Jet's condition with a keen eye.

Jet scoffed, muttering "Why don't you ask _Kanan_."

All attention shifted to me as the three watched me intently. "What happened mate?" Zeb asked in surprise.

"I…. uh," I stuttered, sweat forming on my brow.

Hera sighed, fussing "You can fill us in later. Right now, we need to get Jet to the med bay."

The woman urged Jet gently to the ladder, but when Jet's hands grasped onto the first rung she cursed under her breath and clutched her bleeding palm to her chest. Her hand print was stained on the metal, and Hera took Jet's hand in her own with a sympathetic look. "It's okay. We can fix this," she murmured softly, gesturing for Zeb to step in.

The Lasat stepped forward, but his eyes widened when he caught sight of Jet's back. The blood had seeped through her clothes and made it to the cloak, staining it faintly red. "Whoa," he exclaimed.

"What?" Hera asked, craning her neck and inhaling sharply when she saw the blood. Jet looked away to the corner of the room, not wanting to face anyone directly while Hera thought quickly over what to do. "Okay. Zeb, you'll still need to carry Jet to the med bay," she pointed out.

"What?!" Jet exclaimed, before Zeb promptly lifted her up onto his back with ease, despite her protests.

Hera and Sabine quickly disappeared up the ladder while Zeb made sure Jet was in the most comfortable position possible before clambering up towards the medbay. I trailed after them, watching intently as we finally made it to the room. Zeb carefully lowered Jet onto the medical bed that Sabine had just pulled up, while Hera had taken out a first aid kit and set up beside the girl. "Okay, you three can go," Hera said, shooing us away gently.

Zeb and Sabine nodded, and though reluctant to leave, they exited the small space. I stayed still for a prolonged moment, just staring at Jet with guilt and shame. The girl's eyes narrowed slightly, and a low grumble sounded in her throat. Hera realised this immediately and stood up, stepping forward and urging me out of the room. "Wait," I tried to protest.

"No, Hun," Hera whispered. "I don't need jedi powers to know Jet isn't happy with you. I don't know what happened, but it's best you leave me to it, okay?"

I hesitated, before nodding blankly. Hera mustered a weak smile, patting my shoulder and stepping back into the room. And with a hiss, the door closed in my face and left me to my thoughts. I sighed, leaning against the wall and sliding down onto the floor. _I'm so dead._

* * *

I paced back and forth in the hallway, the effects of the inhibitor finally worn off and leaving my ever increasing emotions to fester. Hera had been with Jet in the medbay for almost 20 minutes now, and despite Zeb and Sabine's attempts of prying out the story, I remained completely silent.

"I mean, they weren't blaster bolts," Sabine pointed out.

"Yeah. She was all cut up," Zeb added, eying me suspiciously. "C'mon mate. Just tell us what happened!"

I frowned, opening my mouth to retort when the sound of the medbay door slid open. My eyes widened and I quickly bolted forward to be faced with Hera. She slammed the button with her fist, causing the door to close behind her as she glared at me furiously. " _You_ are in _big_ trouble mister!" she snapped, jabbing an accusing finger into my chest.

"Whoa, whoa. I can explain," I defended, holding my hands up in surrender. "But first, how is she?"

She sighed, shaking her head in disapproval. "Not good. It'll take weeks, months even for the cuts to fully heal over. And don't even get me started on her eye," she muttered. "That one will be there for the rest of her life, probably."

I shot her a guilt expression, asking "But, she'll be alright?"

Hera nodded, but placed her hands on her hips. "She's going to be in a lot of pain for the next week or so, and she's still filthy mad at you," she stated. "She told me about the little ' _trade'_ you had with her father. Now, I want to hear your side of the story."

I took a deep breath, explaining "Okay, so I found this poster in her satchel saying that she was lost, so I contacted the frequency and… well…"

Hera sighed in aggravation, pinching the bridge of her nose with two fingers. " _Why_ Kanan? Why would you do that? She was just starting to settle in," she said, a silent plea in her tone.

I groaned, running a hand through my hair absently. "It's just… I… I didn't…"

She arched a brow, probing "Spill it Kanan."

"I don't know," I replied, glancing away from her.

"You know that's a lie Kanan," she snapped. "Was it because she's force sensitive? Or because you two couldn't get along?"

"N-No," I stuttered quickly.

Hera frowned. "Then what?!"

Suddenly, I grasped onto her shoulders and yelled "I DIDN'T WANT TO LOSE HER LIKE…" I froze and trailed off, eyes going wide as Hera stared at me in shock. Zeb and Sabine shifted awkwardly in the background, an unsettling tension descending upon us. My expression softened, and I released hold of the Twi'lek's shoulders slowly. Hera sighed, face understanding as she watched me carefully. "We know Kanan," she said softly. "We know what you're feeling. But that was _not_ the right way to accomplish that goal. And you know it."

I bowed my head and closed my eyes, trying to hold back the tears that threatened to form.

But suddenly, the medbay door swung open and Jet stormed past us into the common room. Hera and I exchanged a glance, before running after the girl to find her collecting her things. She was still adorned in her cloak and bloody clothes, but Hera had carefully wrapped bandages all around her hands, arms and torso. Like usual, her hood was up, and I couldn't see the damage that lay on her face. And only now did I realise the gold handle of the whip clipped to her belt, dried blood still printed onto the base.

She heaved the satchel over her shoulders and turned to make a B-line for the door. "Jet stop!" Hera called, running forward and stepping in the teen's path.

"What?!" she snapped.

"You can't go. Your injuries are too severe. What if they get infected?" Hera pointed out.

"I'd rather get an infection than stay here any longer!" she growled, her voice hitching slightly.

Hera sighed, her expression softening. She placed her hands loosely on Jet's shoulders, saying "You don't mean that Jet."

Jet bowed her head, saying uncertainly "I do… I-I…. I _want_ to…"

Hera raised her hand and pulled Jet's hood down. "But you don't," Hera murmured, brushing a few stray hairs out of her good eye. Her other eye had a sterile bacta patch over the top, only part of the scar on her forehead visible anymore. The two exchanged a long, silent stare, before Jet lifted her hood back up and folded her arms. "Once I'm better…" Jet rasped. "Then I'm allowed to leave?"

Hera didn't know how to reply at first, shooting her an uncertain glance, before answering "If you still feel like leaving at that point, then so be it."

Jet hesitated, before nodding sharply. "Fine," she muttered. "I'll stay for a week, _at the most_. Then I'm out of here."

Hera sighed, before stepping to the side and nodding her head in agreement. "Okay," she murmured simply, obviously disappointed.

Sabine, Zeb and I watched the two curiously, Jet glancing over her shoulder and regaining her posture again. "If you'll excuse me, I'll be off getting the blood out of my clothes," she announced sourly as she turned to walk out of the common room.

"Hey Jet," Sabine called, running to her side. "I can lend you some spare clothes if you'd like while we patch up yours."

A spike of surprise shifted through the force, before the teen quickly concealed it behind her shields. "Actually, yeah. That'd be great, thanks," she replied sheepishly.

Sabine smiled warmly and the two walked out into the hall, the door closing behind them. Hera glanced at me with piercing green eyes, and I flinched ever so slightly at her stare. "Welp," Zeb blurted awkwardly while heading for the door. "I'll just be moving those crates again."

The Lasat hastily exited the room, leaving just Hera and I to the stand there together. Her brows furrowed, and she pointed to the table sternly. "Sit," she instructed. "You and I have a _lot_ to discuss."

* * *

 **Wow guys. There's a lot to discuss about this chapter. Like, will Kanan and Jet ever make up? Why did Jet keep the whip? Do you think Hera's going to be mad about this?**

 **And to answer that last question:**

 **Of course she is! XD**

 **But anyways, I hope you guys enjoyed that chapter. I'm pleased to say that we have officially reached over 100 reviews on this story, and I can't express how happy I am! :D You guys are so amazing, and please keep up your delightful support! :D But until next time guys! May the force be with you, always!**

 **-Superherotiger**


	11. Never Alone

**Hello, hello, hello! Wow, it's been ages since I last updated this one, huh? WAY too long. But, I've got it all sorted with this one people. It's a long one too! Hopefully that compensates for the lack of updates. ;D Anyways, I had a whole ton of writers block with this chapter. I mean, I've re-written it about 4 times, and then I got the first half of this chapter done over like… 5 weeks? Then I left it for a while because I was totally stuck, and then today I was just like "Stuff it! I'm finishing this damn chapter whether it kills me!" XD So I hope you guys enjoy it. I've been working on it for ages** ** _(literally)_** **! XD May the force be with you, always!**

 **-Superherotiger**

* * *

 ** _Three days later…_**

Jet's POV

* * *

A gentle, dry breeze drifted over the land, causing the long, golden grass to sway and ripple in the distance. I took a deep breath of the fresh Lothal air and basked in the heat of its mild sun. Loth cats pranced gleefully in the ocean of yellow, and small birds chirped and sung without a care in the world. Smiling, I sat down on the rich soil and ran my hand through the lush stalks of grass beside me. My eyes slid shut, and for once in a long time I felt at peace.

 _Home_.

This was my home. Not the towering penthouse surrounded by cement walls, and not the filthy backstreets of Capital City. No, nothing could compare to this.

No worries. No responsibilities. Just me and whatever _I_ wanted to do.

It was perfect.

"Mummy! Daddy! Watch me!" a small voice exclaimed.

I jumped at the noise and immediately reached for my whip, only to find that I was clawing at empty space. So instead I shifted to a defence position and reared for an attack, prepared to fight whoever dared enter my sanctuary. But my eyes widened in shock when I noticed the young girl skipping past me. Her pitch black hair flowed gracefully as she ran, and a set of sparkling brown eyes observed her surroundings excitedly. She seemed so innocent as she raced in circles, wildly flapping her arms like wings. "Watch me fly Daddy!" she called. "Are you watching?!"

"Yes child, I'm watching," a warm voice cooed.

But I immediately froze when I identified the speaker. It still sent a shudder up my spine, and I twisted on my heel and stumbled backwards. And there he was. Standing tall as the sun rained down on his dark earthy skin and surged life into his unusually lively eyes. But his expression seemed… _different._

It wasn't the stern frown or furious glare that I was familiar with. No, he was actually smiling. And his gaze was so gentle and peaceful, I could almost mistake it for genuine _happiness_.

But happiness was not an emotion I would normally associate with my father. Things like greed, selfishness, being completely _heartless_ suited him far better.

Suddenly, my attention was snatched by the lady beside him. She had tan skin and sparkling amber eyes, her curly black hair falling down her shoulders. Her expression was one of pure serenity, and even from here I could feel her familiar, warming presence coil around my bones. I felt my eyes go wide and the oxygen get pulled from my lungs. "M-Mum?" I stuttered.

Neither of them seemed to acknowledge my voice as they continued on in a gentle stroll, their arms linked and their presence warming. They were heading straight for me, and I reached my hands out desperately for the loving woman as she passed. I pounced forward, expecting to be enclosed in her secure embrace, but finding only a puff of mist. A cold shudder ran up my spine as I stumbled forward, and I glanced over my shoulder to see the two continue on walking.

They had walked straight _through_ me.

I blinked rapidly, trying to register what had just happened. _A dream. This has to be a dream._

Deciding that it was the only logical explanation, I turned around and ran after them. "Jessica, you be careful over there," mother called sweetly.

But the child was too wrapped up in her fruitless attempts of flight to notice the woman's advice. She simply kept jumping off a small rock and flapping her arms, stating "I'm gonna fly! I'm gonna fly!"

Mother simply smiled while Father watched on with an amused expression. Determined, the little girl decided the small platform she had chosen wasn't cutting it anymore, and instead directed her attention to a stone twice her height that stood a few metres away. She raced to it quickly and scaled the rock, giggling as she did. "Jessica! That's too high!" the woman exclaimed nervously.

She was about to run over and stop the child, until her husband raised his arm and instructed "No. She must learn for herself."

"But she's going to get hurt," the woman argued.

"And so she will learn not to do it again," he stated firmly. "You cannot shelter her forever darling."

"But she's only a child," she reasoned.

His gaze hardened, replying "All the more reason for her to understand consequences."

By now the girl had reached the peak of the rock, waving at her parents and calling "Watch me Daddy! Watch me!"

The man didn't reply, but he nodded his head once to show she had his attention. This was her que, and she crouched low on her feet and suddenly leapt into the air. She gracefully spread her arms and released a triumphant _'Whoo!'_ , only to less gracefully plummet back to the solid ground within mere seconds. She tumbled over herself, sending dirt and dust flying in a flurry of motion, until finally ending up face down on the ground. The child groaned, struggling to push herself back up. Her clothes were smeared with grime and her knees and hands were laced with small grazes. "Mum!" she wailed in distress.

But it was not her mother who came to her side. To my surprise, it was her father who bent down next to her, saying softly "Come on Angel. You can do it."

The girl sobbed on the dirt, her limbs shaking unstably as she tried to get to her feet again. "I can't," she cried.

"Yes you _can_ Jessica. The only way you won't is if you give up," he spoke sternly. "Now, back on your feet."

"But Daddy-"

"No buts. One day your mother and I may not be around to help you, so you must learn to do it yourself," he explained solemnly, raising himself from the ground and standing up. He folded his arms heavily over his chest and stared down at the child on the floor, saying "Come on, we don't have all day."

The girl looked pleadingly up at her father for support, but based on his expression, I knew he wouldn't be stepping in any time soon. And after a prolonged moment, the child realised it too. Grinding her teeth, she tried once again to get to her feet. Her weak arms shook under the weight but she just barely managed to push herself up in one large burst of energy. Her face brightened for the slightest moment, until she suddenly went off balance again and fell back into the dirt. She coughed and hung her head in defeat.

"Again," her father ordered. "Do not give up. Again."

Not wanting to displease the man, she mustered the strength and got back onto her feet, making sure she was stable before standing completely. When she realised she'd done it, her expression exploded with pure pride and joy. "Look! I did it!" she exclaimed excitedly.

The icy sharpness faded from the male's face, replaced with a satisfied smile and gentle gaze. "That's my little fighter," he cooed, bending down and ruffling her long black hair. The child laughed at first, before the spark in her eyes dimmed as she asked "So… I can't fly?"

Bending down until he was eye level with his daughter, he placed his hand on her shoulder and gave it a tight squeeze. "Never," he replied. "You will never be able to fly Jessica."

Her eyes widened in complete and utter shock, her mouth a gape as her goals shattered before her very eyes. Until suddenly, his expression loosened, and he finished with a fierce confidence "But you will _soar_."

The man lifted his daughter up into the air and swung her around in large circles. The girl laughed and the man chuckled, and after one final spin he threw the child up and caught her tightly in his embrace. She continued to giggle as she flung her arms around his neck and closed her eyes. "I love you Daddy," she murmured.

The man released a long sigh and nuzzled his head against his daughter's. "I love you too," he whispered, his voice so faint it was almost inaudible. " _My little angel…"_

I gasped, my eyes bolting open and my body jerking upright. The sickening sensation of falling dawned on me for the slightest moment as I tumbled onto the cold metal floor, tangled up in thin layers of blankets and my cloak. I could feel the sweat sliding down my neck as my breathing remained a heavy pant, and those emotions that swelled within hit me like a brick wall. The pain. The distrust. The _hate_. It all returned.

I had to clench my eyes shut to hold back the tears of my childhood, tugging Mum's cloak around my shoulders as if it were her comforting touch. I had almost forgotten about those times. I'd forgotten when the man I once called _'Daddy_ ' actually cared about me. When everything was just play and laughter. When things were the way they were _meant_ to be…

But all of that was just a memory… just a _dream_. Father wasn't really like that, and Mum… she was _gone_ …

Regaining my dignity, I wiped the tears from my good eye and pushed myself off the floor. It turned out more difficult than expected as my arms shuddered and my palms throbbed from the cuts that lay in them. I grunted and finally managed to pull myself off the ground, placing my hand on the wall for support. Blinking rapidly, I tried to adapt to my new surroundings.

It didn't help that my right eye had practically been written off by the long scar trailing through it, constantly aching and spiking headaches whenever I tried to use it. Hera had explained to me that the whip must have grazed my actual eyeball at some point, because there was a split in my eyelid and the iris had become a lighter shade. Almost like a clear amber compared to the chocolate brown it once was.

Slowly, I picked up the fallen blankets and laid them across the seats neatly, before readjusting the cloak weighing heavily on my shoulders. For some reason, the garment didn't give me the burst of encouragement or sense of security it once did. The one piece of familiarity that I clung to in my world of chaos was losing its touch, and all I could feel was a growing emptiness within. Like I wasn't even control of my own body anymore.

The one thing I did know was that I was still _furious_ at Kanan.

Not once in the last three days had I allowed the Jedi to speak to me. He had tried several times, but I always shunned him away. By the second day he'd gotten the message and decided it easier if he wasn't even _near_ a five foot radius of me at any time. It was by far the smartest idea he'd had in the past few days.

But, I noticed that contact with the other members of the crew had also become minimal. Zeb was suddenly passive and gentle, Chopper didn't dare spark a quarrel for the fun of it, and in fact, it was _Sabine_ who tried coaxing me to talk. It was the simple things like _"Hey Jet, what do you think of this painting?"_ or _"How about a game of Sabacc kid?"_ when I knew she was trying to attract my attention. I had been with the crew for almost a week before everything had changed, and by the first day I'd already memorised each person's personality and traits. Sabine could tolerate me, of course, and occasionally we would have small general conversations, but _I_ had always been the one to start the talking, not her. So when she openly wanted to socialise with me I knew something was off.

Even Hera had changed from a wise, caring leader into a concerned maternal hen. She was always looking out for me, asking how I was feeling or if I needed anything, and she replaced the bandages on my wounds almost daily. The sensation of having someone there to watch over me would definitely take some adjusting to. After all, I had only just gotten used to living life solo when I stumbled across the crew.

And seeing how _great_ that turned out to be, maybe it would have been better if I'd stuck to a life as a street rat. Surely that would have been better then what happened… than what I had _become_ …

Shaking the thoughts out of my head, I glanced around the dim room with a vacant gaze. I could only imagine how lively this ship once was prior to the death of the boy. The energy that used to surge throughout the halls was reduced to a ghostly presence, and those who lived under its roof were nothing but shells of their former life, practically ghosts themselves.

So why was I here anymore?

They didn't really need me. I was just the odd one out. The black sheep. And it's obvious that _'some'_ members of the crew felt my presence unnecessary. So if I was going to ditch everything I knew for a life of adventure, then I better start searching elsewhere.

I took a deep breath and closed my eyes. Three days ago I told the crew I would stay here for a week _at the most_. So cutting it short wouldn't do too much harm, right?

My hand brushed over the weapon clipped to my belt, the cold metal sending a shudder up my spine. _They don't need you anymore. It's time to move on…_

Inhaling sharply, I followed my instinct and picked up my satchel, slinging it over my shoulders and quietly making my way for the med bay. Once inside I picked out a few bandages and bacta cloths to use on the road, placing them in my bag and heading into the hall. I crept through the corridor cautiously so not to wake anyone until finally making it to the ladder. From there I entered the cargo bay, and activating the ramp, the grassy fields of Lothal.

Stepping down the ramp, a cool breeze hit my face and sent a shiver throughout my bones. It was such a strange sensation, but it only made me buzz with newfound energy. I was ready to run. Oh, I was so ready to run that I could probably race the grassy plateaus all night and never look back. I wanted to feel the wind rushing through my hair and the morning sun beating down on my skin. I wanted to tread my fingers over the soft tufts of grass and roll around in the dry dirt. No more cooped up cabins for me, just the open road and destination unknown.

It was frightening thought, but absolutely _amazing_ at the same time.

A warm smile tugged at my lips as I strolled casually out of the Ghost, glancing up at the stars above when I was far enough. They twinkled and glinted on the inky black canvas, and the breeze whipped at the grass to cause a gentle rustle and sway. I took a deep breath of the crisp air and released a sigh of relief.

My real home was out there somewhere, _waiting_ for me. And I certainly wouldn't find it while confined to the Ghost.

Taking a deep breath, I patted the satchel at my waist with one hand and grasped onto the whip with the other. _"Here we go again,"_ I thought to myself.

Until suddenly, something made me hesitate. Some kind of invisible force seemed to be urging me towards the Ghost, pulling me back to the broken home. I glanced over my shoulder to stare back at the ship, only to be bombarded with waves of conflicting emotion. The joy I once experience clashed with the anger that bubbled in my heart, and the thrill of being valued made me question why I was given away.

I was quick to shake my head and focus my mind on the grassy hills in front of me. Now was not the time for second thoughts. I was either committed, or I wasn't.

"Sorry guys," I muttered as I began walking forward. "But I've got my own problems to sort out."

My mind swirled with concern as I trekked through the first patch of grass, and my attention wandered enough that I didn't even notice the faint signature shifting beside me. I had barely made it three steps when a dark figure suddenly pounced from the shrubbery and lunged for my arm. Biting back the urge to scream, I forgot entirely about my whip and raised my hands to shield my face.

I expected sharp teeth to latch onto my arm and tear my flesh, but it never came. In fact, nothing had changed besides a gentle tug on my cloak.

Opening my eyes cautiously, I lowered my hands and glanced around. Nothing seemed to be an immediate danger, so I relaxed my shoulders and sighed deeply. _Must have just been a Loth rat or-_

Something growled behind me as I leapt to my feet in a startle. I twisted on my heel and raised my fists for an attack, until my attention was suddenly snatched by the small Loth-cat pulling on my cloak. He held the cloth tightly in his jaws, trying to drag me in the direction of the Ghost with determined blue eyes. "Karabast little guy, you scared me!" I sighed exasperatedly.

Bending down, I reached my hand out and tried to connect with the aggravated feline. Force bonding may not have been my strongest ability, but I still knew how to do it to a degree. "Now, why don't you let go of my cloak," I cooed sweetly.

The cat growled, baring his teeth and jerking his head to the side. "Whoa! Careful you little brat!" I snapped. "You're going to rip it!"

Electric blue eyes sparked mischievously as the animal tried even harder to pull me away. I grasped onto the cloth and tugged back, sending the Loth cat off balance when he was least expecting it. The animal rolled over himself, but the cloak still remained firmly in his jaws. "Let go you little rodent," I groaned. "This cloak is very important to me."

Frustrated, the animal sat heavily on the dirt and began to yowl. Somehow it still managed to make the screeching noise with the cloth in its mouth, causing me to clamp my hands over my ears and hiss "Shh! You'll wake everyone up!"

He stopped for a moment, blinked once, and then resumed his awfully high pitched cry. I growled, my patience wearing thin, until an idea hit me. "Look! Imperials!" I exclaimed, pointing in the opposite direction. The cat twisted his head around, ears perked and eyes wide and alert.

I swiftly yanked the garment from his teeth while he was off guard, releasing a triumphant "Ah ha!"

The startled feline spun around released a defiant growl, his narrowed eyes glaring up at me furiously. "Hey, I warned you," I pointed out with a smirk. "Now run along. Surely you have something better to do than annoy me."

To my surprise, the cat loosened his muscles and pulled his ears back, all previous hostility disappearing in a heartbeat. Large, adorable eyes stared up at me as he released an innocent _'Meow'_ , his lips pulled into what I assumed was a smile. I rolled my eyes and reached my hand out again, saying "I don't think I understand you. One moment you're mad at me and the next moment you're not."

He nuzzled his head into my touch, his delighted purr tingling up my nerves. I smiled softly and rubbed his head in gentle motions. The dim light of the moon illuminated his unusually coloured features, such as the black, almost _blue_ stripes painted against dull orange fur. His big eyes shone like sapphires, and I noticed two parallel scars running along his left cheek.

"Hm. Never seen a Loth-cat quite like you," I mused. "Maybe you were the runt of the litter."

He growled in protest, before I chuckled lightly and added "Don't worry, I know what it's like to not fit in. Guess we're in the same boat little fella."

His expression softened as he let out a sympathetic purr. Taking a deep breath, I rose to my feet and stated "Well, the good thing about people like us is that we don't need others… we find our own way…"

Shaking my head abruptly, I dusted myself off and smiled at the creature sitting at my feet. "See you round," I waved as I turned to walk away.

Until suddenly, there was a sharp growl and a rush of wind. I stumbled slightly as my belt was jerked to the side and my whip released from its clip. I shook my head rapidly and twisted around to stare face to face with the Loth Cat, the golden weapon resting gently in his jaws. My eyes widened, and the cat gazed at me with cocky blue eyes. "You little-"

He meowed innocently and shifted into a pouncing position, ready to disappear into the foliage if he so pleased. "No, wait!" I pleaded. Taking a deep breath, I coaxed softly "Now, why don't you be a good boy and give that back."

He blinked once, before cackling and bolting back in the direction of the Ghost. "Hey!" I yelled, running after the creature. "Get back here you stupid Tooka!"

The cat pranced around gleefully, dancing his way up the ramp and into the cargo bay. He jumped along the crates and glanced down at me as I skidded to a halt underneath him. "Give it!" I hissed, stretching my arm out and wrapping the force around his small figure.

But, the creature didn't move. My mouth gaped open, and I stared at my hand in shock and tried again. One more attempt, one more failure. "What the?" I stuttered. "W-Why won't it work on you?"

But suddenly, the cat was off again, running circles around me as I frantically tried to grab him. I growled, and he laughed. I pounced, and he dodged. I scowled, and he grinned. Growing frustrated by this humiliating game of chase, I thrusted my hands forward and forced a wave to ripple around me. Crates slammed against the metal walls as boxes and supplies went flying. The cat was hit by one of the objects and got thrown across the room, crumpling on the floor.

I could feel my shoulders slump in exhaustion as the oxygen was knocked from my lungs. Taking deep breaths, I focused on my thumping heartbeat rather than the sharp pain in my hands.

Kanan had warned me not to use the force while I was healing. He said I would become easily tired, that I could cause more harm than good. I wasn't really listening though.

Now I knew what he meant. I barely had the energy to stay standing, let alone retrieve my whip. But I knew that the commotion I had just caused would have the crew on their feet within seconds. So my plan of sneaking out quietly was pretty much busted.

Stumbling over towards where the cat lay, he shook his head distraughtly and pushed himself to his feet. He held the weapon tightly within his jaws as a more serious expression replaced his previous playfulness. When I tried to reach out, the cat bolted. For a moment I thought he was heading for the ramp, but to my surprise he scrambled up the ladder and disappeared into the upper floor. I raced after him, forcing my aching muscles to pursue despite how much they protested.

Once in the cockpit, I noticed he wasn't there and sprinted into the hallway. _Now where did that stupid little-_

The door to the left sprung open and I suddenly crashed into someone. I fell back and slammed my skull against the metal floor, my head throbbing and my vision wavering. Glancing up, I finally recognised who I'd collided with. "Sabine?" I groaned.

The girl rubbed her head in a daze, her eyes springing open at my voice. "Oh Jet!" she exclaimed. "I'm so glad you're-"

"Shh!" I hushed, jumping to my feet and grasping onto her wrist.

"What are you-?!"

"Shut it for a sec!" I growled, heaving her up and making sure she was stable before letting go. "Are you hurt?"

"Well, not really. Why-"

"Good," I cut her off, nudging her towards her room again. "Go back to bed."

She dug her heels into the floor and snapped "Jet! What're you-"

"I'll explain tomorrow!" I hissed, wincing at my own lie.

"But-"

I could feel the signatures shifting in the nearby cabins, and instinct forced me to shove Sabine back into her room and throw my satchel in along with her. "Sorry!" I whispered with guilt, before hitting the controls and closing the door. As if on cue, Kanan's door flew opened and said Jedi sped out with a distressed expression. He almost slammed into me, but quickly caught himself just before impact. It took him a moment to fully register who I was, and when he did, he asked shakily "Jet?"

I hesitated, my mind racing a million miles an hour. "Uh, yes! That's, t-that's me," I stuttered nervously.

"What are you doing up?" he quizzed.

"Well… What are _you_ doing up?" I shot back.

Kanan blinked once, slightly puzzled by my odd behaviour. "I heard a loud crash in the cargo bay," he explained. "Didn't you hear it?"

"Um, n-nope. Didn't hear anything. You must have been dreaming, yeah," I said hastily.

Kanan's teal orbs narrowed, his lips pulling into a thin line. I could feel the sweat perspiring under my skin as his fierce stare burnt through my very soul. I tried to raise whatever mental shields I maintained, but they were too weak, too unrefined. If Mum could sense my mood the second she entered a room, then Kanan would _definitely_ know something was up.

Suddenly, Hera's door also widened and the Twi'lek stepped into the light. Her eyes were large and alert, but when she saw the two of us, she relaxed slightly and leant against the wall with a sigh. "Thank goodness. It's just you two," she smiled. "For a second there I thought someone was breaking in."

Kanan shifted his suspicious gaze back to me. "Breaking in, or breaking _out_?" he questioned sharply. I winced, my muscles completely rigid.

Hera noticed the thick tension and straightened. "What happened?"

"Yeah Jet," Kanan pried. "Care to explain?"

"I… uh… I-I accidentally knocked over some crates, yeah," I answered, shifting from foot to foot anxiously.

"And you just so happened to be in the cargo bay _why_?" Kanan continued harshly.

 _'_ _Maybe to get away from nosy backstabbing Jedi like yourself…'_

I bit the thought back and replied sourly "What? So you confine me to the Ghost and now I can't even go into the cargo bay?"

"When it's during the middle of the night, it does make me suspicious," he said while folding his arms heavily over his chest.

"Look, I was in the cargo bay, the crates fell, and you all woke up. Now will you get off my case?" I growled.

"Speaking of people who are awake," Hera stepped forward before Kanan could continue our quarrel. "How's Sabine?"

I was thankful the hood was covering my face, because otherwise they surely would have known I was lying when I replied "She woke up, but I, uh, I agreed to stay with her until she got back to sleep. Y-You know, cause of the whole ' _can't be alone'_ thing."

Hera's expression brightened to one of delight, and she spoke with pride "I'm so glad to hear that Jet. Thank you."

I nodded my head, but I could tell Kanan wasn't convinced. Just the way he watched me with those lifeless teal eyes, the corner of his lip twitching in a frown and the tense posture he held himself in showed he didn't buy the excuse. Of course, I knew that _he_ knew I'd tried to run away. But to my great surprise, he didn't confront the subject.

"Jet," he started, his voice soft and warm, unlike his expression. "I need to talk to you."

I flinched. Talking never solved anything. It didn't stop a whip from cracking. It didn't stop my hands from bleeding. It didn't stop Mum from _dying_. Words had failed me time and time again.

So no more talking for me, just action, and _justice_.

"Sorry," I sneered with an icy tone, opening the door to Sabine's cabin and stepping through. "I can't hear you through the door."

Kanan tilted his head, puzzled. "But the door isn't-"

I hit the panel mid-sentence, cutting him off as the door slid shut in his face. The darkness consumed my vision, and I once again felt the energy drain from my limbs. I leant my forehead against the cold metal door and sighed.

 _'_ _Okay. I'll just grab my stuff and run for it when they go back to bed,'_ I schemed. _"Yeah. I'll head for the city and lose them there. That'll work."_

I turned around slowly, finally feeling like I'd gotten out of the danger zone when my eyes went wide, fixed on the mandalorian sitting on the edge of her bed. She was scanning through my satchel with a shocked expression, her amber eyes flickering up to stare at me as she asked shakily "First aid? Food? Why would you…" Her voice faded as realisation dawned on her.

I could feel my stomach churn and I raised my hands in surrender, saying quietly "Sabine, it's not what it seems."

"You were gonna run away!" she barked, her tone fiery and her gaze cold.

I could feel my expression harden as I stormed forward and snatched my bag from her grasp. "That's really none of your business!" I spat, slinging the satchel over my shoulders. "And what do you care if I leave or not?"

"The deal was that you'd stay a week!" she protested as she rose to her feet.

"I said a week at the _most_ ," I defended. "Nothing said I had to stay the full 7 days, so what's the big deal?"

A rumble sounded in her throat, and I could see a mixture of disappointment and anger flaring throughout her expression. "We just, you know, _assumed_ you'd be staying the full length," she hissed.

"Yeah? Well you assumed wrong," I snapped, twisting on my heel and about to head for the door. "Now go back to sleep. And if the others ask, this conversation never happened."

There was a heavy shift of emotion in the force as Sabine's hand suddenly lunged out and grabbed my wrist, causing me to howl in agony. "Sabine!" I yelped as her fingers pressed into the wounds along my arm. It wasn't that she had done it on purpose, I knew that, but I still had to restrain myself from lashing out at the figure who'd caused me such pain.

The girl didn't notice my protest as she stuttered fearfully "Y-You can't leave me here by myself! You have t-to stay!"

I glanced up to catch a good look at the mandalorian, only to be surprised by the vulnerability her usually confident posture held. Her eyes were large and ghostly, her skin pale and her sweaty hands shuddering. The smirk and the scoff she once used so often seemed nothing but a memory, replaced by shallow breathing and a quivering lip. Never had I seen Sabine so raw and emotional. I could hardly even recognise her in this state.

But even _I_ could sense this was more than just a common fear, that it leaned more towards a phobia, which I was definitely familiar with. Toning my voice down to a gentle coo, I soothed "Sabine, Hera and Kanan are right next door. Go to one of them, and they will stay with you through the night, okay?"

"No!" she yelped, her grip tightening around my arm. I winced, biting my lip to contain a sharp scream. "You have to stay with me…" she continued. "Y-You have to be there when I wake up!"

I placed my hand a top of hers, both to sooth the traumatised teenager and to discretely pry her fingernails from my skin. "Sabine. Hera, Kanan," I repeated firmly. "Go to one of them."

She shook her head rapidly from side to side, rambling "No, no, no. I-I won't do it again… I won't go back there again!"

"What are you on about?"

Her distraught amber orbs flickered for a moment, her teeth chattering and her hands trembling. "I-If you go, y-you'll be gone when I w-wake up," she stumbled.

I lifted my shoulders in a half-hearted shrug. "Yeah? So?"

"You don't understand!" she barked, her voice raising. "You'll be gone! I didn't even get to say goodbye!"

"Sabine, calm down," I urged, praying to the force that these walls were soundproof.

"No you calm down!" she snapped.

" _Sabine_ ," I warned.

"Don't you get it?! If I go to sleep I'll never get to see you again when I wake up! You'll be gone just like-"

"SABINE!" I roared, grasping onto her shoulders.

The teen froze, the words dissolving off her tongue. She stared at me with startled eyes, and I could tell I'd finally caught her attention. Taking a deep breath to stabilise my voice, I instructed calmly "Sabine, just, _breathe_."

She remained still, until I soothed again _"Breathe_."

She inhaled sharply, pausing for a long moment, before releasing it in a strained sigh. I smiled. "There. Now, let's just be nice, and calm," I said softly. Pushing her shoulders back, I guided her towards the edge of her bed, where the girl sat down heavily and finally released my arm. I felt a wave of relief as the pressure was removed and the stinging pain lessened ever so slightly. Glancing down at my wrist, I frowned when I saw blood trickling into the white cloth again, staining its fresh cover with blotches of red. Sabine saw it too, her eyes vacant of all life as the dim glow of the room illuminated the tears swelling within them.

"I'm so sorry," she whispered, her voice so faint it could have been blown away in the wind.

My expression softened, and I said "Don't be. It's nothing."

"But your wrist," she spoke as she stared at me with mortified eyes. "They're bleeding."

I shrugged nonchalantly, trying to not cause any more stress by saying "I've been through worse. It's fine."

At first I wasn't sure if she'd bought my white lie, but I noticed that her shoulders relaxed slightly and the guilt lifted from her expression. I sighed deeply. It was obvious Sabine wouldn't let me leave without a fight, and I certainly couldn't leave her in such a traumatic state just for my own freedom. That would be wrong…

Sabine was my friend. She joked around occasionally, she let me look at her art, she even let me borrow clothes while mine were getting washed. I held no grudge against her, and so the least I could do before I left was stay with her through the night.

Lowering myself to the floor, I leant my back against her bed and sat in a cross legged position. My back stung at first, before the pain receded and I rolled my shoulders to unravel the tension. "You can go to sleep now," I yawned.

"So you'll stay?" Sabine asked expectantly.

I glanced up at her and smirked. "Do I really have an option?"

She gave me an uncertain look and crossed her arms. "How will I be sure you won't run off while I sleep?" she quizzed

"Kanan's probably got like 10 restraining bolts on this door by now," I said sarcastically. "Trust me, I'm not going anywhere."

Sabine smiled at that, and seemingly satisfied, she shuffled back and burrowed under the covers. Once she'd poked her head out, I returned my attention back to my bleeding wrist. _That's going to need something, and soon._

I could feel Sabine's gaze burning into the back of my skull, but I paid it little mind as I rummaged through my satchel. I was searching for the first aid supplies I'd stashed earlier in the hope to sooth my burning wounds, when my fingers suddenly brushed against a familiar object. My eyes widened, and I immediately pulled the whip from its tomb of shadows. "What the?" I gawked in complete and utter shock.

"What?" Sabine asked curiously.

I stared at the weapon a moment longer, wondering if I was going crazy again. "There was a Loth-cat that took it earlier," I explained blankly. "But… somehow its back in here…"

"You sure it wasn't just there the whole time?" Sabine suggested.

I glanced over my shoulder and replied sharply "No! The cat was _definitely_ here. He was jumping off the crates and through the halls…" My voice faltered slightly as I added "But, I also couldn't use the force on him either so… maybe I was dreaming?"

The Mandalorian shrugged, saying "Hey, we all hallucinate from time to time. I'm not judging."

I inclined my head slightly and smiled, before clipping the whip back to my belt and feeling for the first aid. "Why did you try to run away?" Sabine suddenly asked.

My muscles tensed and my back straightened. I wasn't quite sure how to reply to that one. Of course, I had _multiple_ reasons for wanting to leave. The urge to be free, the fear of my past, the anger of my present. But none of which I was willing to express to the girl. We were friends, but we weren't that close.

Shaking her question away, I pulled out the spare bandages and some soothing lotion, trying to distract my mind from the subject. "Just get some rest," I muttered.

I felt a gentle touch on my shoulder and instinctively flinched away from the contact. My head shot up at Sabine as she watched me with sympathetic amber eyes, murmuring "Was it because of what happened between you and Kanan?"

I could feel the fire flare within as my expression hardened. "What happened that day isn't relevant," I growled.

"It _is_ , Jet… I can tell it is," she said calmly. "I can see you come from a family of great honour, correct?"

I froze. Suddenly I felt very cold again. My family name was my pride. I held it with the weight of my ancestors as if it were a glass vase, the rich bloodline of fierce warriors flowing throughout my DNA. Face could not be lost. Weakness could not be shown. Anything less would bring shame to the family name.

And yet I had rebelled against my father and challenged him to the death. How much shame had I established in the simple gesture of flicking the forbidden whip? How much face had I lost by crying in front of an outsider? What disrespect did I show by standing above my superior?

No matter how you looked at it, I was a disgrace to my family.

I hadn't even realised the tears leaking out of my eye as I quickly shifted my gaze to the floor and scrubbed at my face. Sabine rested her hand on my shoulder again, but the warmth and understanding that radiated from her presence stopped me from pulling away. "Jet," she said in a more familiar tone. "You can't let that stuff hold you down. When I joined this crew… when Hera and Kanan took me in… I learnt that it isn't your past that defines your future. _You_ choose your own path."

I didn't reply in the fear of breaking down completely, simply nodding my head to show I'd absorbed her words. Sabine sighed, squeezing my shoulder and causing a slight throb in my muscles. But I didn't even notice. I just stared at the door with vacant eyes, feeling completely hollow within. Whether that be good or bad, I didn't know. After all, maybe feeling nothing would be better than feeling everything.

The ache in my shoulder coincided with the sting in my arm, snapping me back to reality as I took a deep breath and focused on the present. I unwrapped the bandage winding up my right arm and placed it to the side, the cool air of the cabin hitting my flesh with a shudder. I glanced down at my wounds and frowned.

They were healing well, still partially open but not bleeding never the less. The ones near my wrist were red and stained with small trails of blood, and yet, the cuts weren't nearly as strong as the pain I associated with them. Reaching up, I pressed my hand against the patch on my right eye. Sometimes if I was careful enough, I could trail my fingers along the start of the scar and run them along its length, all the way to my forehead.

It was my punishment, the constant reminder of my treachery.

Hera said it might heal over, yet the moment she said _'might'_ I knew she was lying. The lines along my arms and back may fade, but that mark would always remain on my eye, and forever in my _mind_.

"Want help?" Sabine asked with genuine concern.

I blinked rapidly, suddenly snapped from my thoughts as I glanced at the teen from the corner of my eye. She was leaning forward slightly, her brows creased in a guilty frown and her lips pulled into a thin line. Obviously, my first instinct was to decline her offer, but I realised that this may be her way of making it up to me.

My gaze flickering from my arm to the mandalorian, I swallowed my pride and handed her the small vial and roll of cloth. I twisted my position and rested my arm on her bed, giving her complete view of my wounds. My cheeks burnt red with humiliation when Sabine saw the cuts and winced. She must have sensed my shame in some way as she mustered a weak smile and said "They're… _better_ , than before at least."

I scoffed gently. "That's one way to put it," I muttered.

The light in her expression faded at the comment, sending both of us into a tense silence. Sabine pushed herself up and took hold of the ointment, uncorking the lid and squeezing some along my arm and in my palm. I gritted my teeth as it soaked into the grooves with a burning sensation. "Sorry," Sabine flinched, running her fingers along the surface of my skin to shift the liquid into the cuts. "This stuff stings, but it works wonders."

Once she was certain all the ointment had soaked in, she lifted my arm against her knee and started to wrap it again. Starting from my elbow she worked down to my hand, winding the cloth in hypnotising motions. We remained silent as the process continued, my mind drifting and her eyes completely fixed on her task. Until suddenly, when she hit the midway point, she probed softly "Do you… want to talk about it?"

The natural instinct to snap or snark arose in my throat, but I bit it back with great reluctance. I was about to reply with a simple 'no' when a familiar voice spoke _"Talk to her. She's just trying to help."_

My eyes immediately whipped up and my muscles tensed, causing Sabine to hesitate as she watched me with wide eyes. All remained silent for a minute or so, until the familiar sound cooed again _"Talk to her."_

The voice was back! My guide for wisdom had finally returned! It had disappeared after leading me to the crew, and I was wondering if the streets had made me hallucinate. But it was back! I wasn't going crazy! Or… maybe I _was_? At this point I really didn't know.

But my joy faded slightly when memories hit my mind. Sure, the voice helped me survive, but, it also resulted in a painful outcome. Could it really be trusted?

Reluctantly, I turned my attention back to Sabine. She was staring at me with a puzzled expression, confused why I all of a sudden seemed on edge. I frowned slightly behind my hood. It, _technically_ wasn't any of her business, right?

 _"_ _Come on Jet, don't you trust me?"_ the voice snickered cockily.

'Give me a good reason why I should,' I sneered in my mind.

The presence faltered for a moment, before twisting its signature around me through the force. Its heat, its care, its _life_ surged throughout my veins, and it was as if I were back in my mother's arms, secured in her tight embrace and love. The tension unravelled, and my mind relaxed. My negative emotions were pushed from my heart temporarily, filled only with the confidence of this strange presence.

I sighed and allowed my eyes to slide shut. 'Okay, okay, you got me,' I thought in a daze. 'I trust you.'

The voice seemed pleased, humming in delight before saying _"Good. Now talk to Sabine."_

I opened my eyes and glanced up at the girl. She was still staring at me strangely, and despite the urge not to, I started "My… my mother… she was _everything_ to me. I didn't have friends when I was younger. I never really fit in." Taking a deep breath, I sighed "But I didn't need friends, because I had _her_ … She was all I ever needed…"

Sabine's expression softened while she continued to bandage my arm. "She loved me, and she guided me, and she cared about me. She was always there," I murmured. I could feel tears burning in my eyes as I rasped "And then suddenly… she _wasn't_ …"

"She was just gone… and I saw it… I saw it coming," I whispered with a ghostly voice. "Part of me wonders why I didn't do something. Why didn't I warn her? Why didn't I step in while I had the chance? But when I heard his voice again three days ago… I remembered why…"

I hesitated, wincing slightly as Sabine watched me with a sympathetic gaze. "I was _afraid_ ," I choked out, the words like poison in my mouth. "For years, I was afraid of disappointing him. Disappointing my _family_. Then when he changed, I was afraid of what he might do to her if I said something… I didn't care if I got hurt, I just didn't want to lose her…"

I paused for a long moment, images of Mother's bright joyful face flashing across my vision. "I lost something that day… something I will _never_ get back," I scowled. "The life that I knew was _gone_. I watched it die in front of my very eyes."

"Do you have any idea how hard that is?" I growled. "Do you know what it's like to watch your whole world shatter into pieces?"

Sabine glanced up from the cloth, her face solemn as she replied softly "Yes. Yes I do."

I froze, not expecting that response. Amber orbs shifted back to my arm, and Sabine murmured "I remember when this ship was full of life… now it's just full of ghosts…"

She wrapped my arm in slower motions, not exactly as focused and present as she was a few moment prior. "That cave… it's not what happened inside that killed me… it's what happened after we made it out…"

The Mandalorian glanced up at me, asking "Do you know why I can't be alone for too long? Did you ever wonder why Hera or Kanan stay in my room until I fall asleep, and go back in before I wake?"

I shook my head hesitantly. "Well, when I was in the cave, I got knocked unconscious before Hera came and rescued me," she continued with a harsher tone. "I was bleeding profusely, and Zeb told me I would have died if Hera didn't donate some of her own."

"When I woke up again, I was alone… All alone in that med bay," she mumbled, slowly turning her head away. "I got up and looked for the others. When I stepped outside, that's when I saw them… saw _him_ …" Her voice hitched slightly as sobs jerked her throat. "He was so _lifeless_ … the blood was everywhere… And Kanan… I've never seen him cry like that before…"

Abruptly, she stopped wrapping my wrist. It was as if she was staring off into another dimension as she rasped weakly "I never even got to say goodbye…"

I remained still as the silence dragged on, shooting the girl a sympathetic expression as tears slipped from her eyes. Finally, after what felt like forever, she turned her head back to me and said faintly "That's why I need someone there... I don't want to wake up in that med bay again… I don't want to open my eyes and find out someone I cared about died while I was asleep…

She stared at me intensely for a prolonged moment, before sniffling and rubbing the streaks from her face. "So when you agreed to stay for a week, I thought I'd try my hardest to get you to stay. I thought… _maybe_ I could convince you to change your mind," she grunted. Her ghostly orbs flickered from the floor, then back to me, and she said "You have no idea how much you've changed us Jet."

I retracted at the comment, waiting for Sabine to elaborate. What I wasn't expecting was for her to start laughing hysterically. A sick, tense chuckle with pain seeded throughout each exhale. "You know, Zeb and Chopper haven't had anyone new to bicker with for so long that they were actually starting to _read_ ," she bellowed, treading the line between laughing and crying. "Hera, she was just cleaning the Ghost because she was so bored. Kanan, he hardly talked, and he never smiled… and then… a-and then…" Her voice trailed off, and the amusement faded.

I shifted uncomfortably as her expression went blank. "And then… _you_ came," she whispered. "You made Zeb laugh. You gave Chopper a challenge. You made Hera relax... You made Kanan _smile_ … I don't think you realise how incredible that is Jet."

My brows furrowed and I bowed my head. "And you?" I asked curiously.

Sabine smiled. It was faint, but whole-heartedly genuine. "You make me feel like I'm not alone," she answered warmly. "Like I have nothing to fear."

My lips pulled into a guilty smile, and the caring warmth coiled around my heart again. I was surprised when I realised that it wasn't the voice's presence, but _Sabine's_ that surged the life back into my system.

And it was that moment when I realised I had made my first _true_ friend.

Sabine tied off the cloth and pulled away, saying "There. All better now."

I glanced down at my now bandaged arm and moved it around experimentally, before smiling and saying "Thank you Sabine."

"You're welcome Jet," she replied. But suddenly, her expression darkened. "Were you really going to run away?"

I didn't reply at first, deciding whether to lie or tell the truth. Until eventually, I chose my better half. "Yes," I answered bluntly.

Creases formed in her brow as she pried "Are you going to stay with us?"

I instinctively froze, but forced the mental shields that threatened to rise deep down using all my willpower. "For tonight," I said after a tense pause.

The girl seemed disappointed, lowering herself onto her bed and pulling the covers up. "Should have known it was too good to be true," she muttered under her breath.

Maybe she wasn't expecting me to hear the comment, but something ached deep inside when I did. How much had I affected the crew during this short time? How much had the crew affected _me_ during this time? I never really noticed the little things. I guess I was so focused on mixing things up that I didn't even realise how much they had changed. I didn't _really_ fix them like that, did I?

And if I did, was it my responsibility to continue healing them?

My gaze shifted to my injured arm, and I suddenly realised how selfish I was being. This wasn't just about me, it was _all_ of us. And if the crew were willing to help heal my wounds, then I'd be willing to heal theirs.

Sabine curled her back, one arm resting outside of the blanket as she closed her eyes. Slowly, I shuffled along the floor and reached over, placing my hand on her arm. Amber orbs immediately shot up at the contact, and Sabine stared at me with large, surprised eyes. I stared right back at her with an even gaze, saying "I'll be here when you wake up Sabine. I promise."

Her muscles loosened. "What good is one night compared to every other?" she mumbled.

I squeezed her arm gently, resting my head against the edge of the mattress and replying "Don't worry about those nights either… 'Cause I'll be there… I'll be right here…"

Sabine's eyes widened, and she exclaimed "You're staying?!"

I smirked, closing my eyes and murmuring "Yeah. I'm staying."

I could sense something spark through the force. Something energetic. Something confident. Something smart. And as exhaustion began eating away at my senses, I caught one final glimpse of Sabine as she nuzzled into her pillow with a wide smile. "Thank you, Jet," she murmured.

I swelled with pride, stating firmly "You won't ever have to be afraid of being alone again. I'll always be right beside you."

There was a hum of satisfaction. "I know… I know you will," she whispered. "Night Jet."

"Night Sabine."

* * *

 ** _Super Bomb #2:_**

 _Remember Me_

 _The Light in the Dark_

 _Lost Chapters_

 _O' Family of Ours_

 ** _There is no Death, There is the Force_**

 _To Mend the Bond_


	12. When Friendship Heals

**Hellooo!**

 **Ah! I've been waiting to update this story for** ** _so_** **long I've been going stir-crazy waiting to give it to you guys! This chapter is slightly shorter and slower paced, but do not fear! I have the next three chapters written and waiting to be proof read (by me XD), and trust me when I say, they're going to be juicy! ;D**

 **So, hopefully you enjoy this chapter, and have also been enjoying the Super Bomb so far! :D A Merry Christmas to you all and may the force be with you, always!**

 **-Superherotiger**

* * *

 ** _…_** ** _Seven days later…_**

Zeb's POV

* * *

"What am I going to do Zeb?" Kanan muttered as he swished the liquid around in the bottom of his mug.

I leant casually against my arm and watched the Jedi's vacant gaze, the emptiness that so often seemed to consume his soul now replaced only with deep threaded guilt. He looked more worn down than usual. Sure, after Ezra's death he had never been the same, but now he looked even _worse_ if that were possible. Stray hairs fell down his face, black rings began forming under his eyes, and to make matters worse he was constantly being reminded of his mistake by not what was, but _wasn't_ being said.

Jet was completely ignoring him. No replies. No greetings. Not even a single word was exchanged. If there were a medal for stubbornness, I think she certainly would have won it by now.

Yes, she had agreed to stay with the crew, which everyone was thoroughly pleased with, but the tension was still thick within the Ghost. Sabine had gravitated to Jet's side, acting as both support and encouragement to her newfound friend. Hera was obviously still disappointed in Kanan for his actions, but her focus was now on helping jet recover rather than staying mad at the one who'd caused the problems in the first place. Chopper and I were the only ones who had managed to stay neutral throughout the whole ordeal.

Kanan sighed and stared at the table with a disappointed frown. "I thought… I thought maybe after a week she'd at least _talk_ to me."

I exhaled deeply and folded my arms across the table. "Look mate, maybe you just have to give her more time," I suggested. "She can't ignore you forever, but it will take time for her to trust you again."

He glanced up at me slightly and nodded, muttering "I know, I just… wish I could make things right."

Hera, who was standing at the kitchen bench stirring a mug of caf glanced over her shoulder and asked "Zeb, can you help me with something?"

"Sure, what'd you need?"

She turned and walked over to us, placing her caf on the table while offering me another hot beverage. "I need you to take this to Jet please," Hera instructed softly as she took a seat beside Kanan. "It should relax her slightly and ease some of the pain."

I hesitantly grasped onto the cup and brought it close to my face, sniffing the scent cautiously. "What's in it?" I quizzed.

She smiled warmly, replying "Hot chocolate, sugar, and a dissolvable soother pill. It should do the job."

I smirked, scoffing "Where was this a week ago, huh?"

Hera grinned lightly, while Kanan continued to drift in the abyss. But reminding me of her orders, she spoke "Anyways, just give that to her and see how she goes. Maybe you can play some Sabacc with her on something. Anything that will get her mind off… you know what."

My expression darkened in understanding, and I nodded sharply and rose to my feet. "Okay. I'll get right on it."

"Thanks Zeb," she soothed, placing her hand on the Jedi's shoulder reassuringly. "Tell her I'll be there soon to re-bandage her arms."

"Got it." And with that I calmly left the kitchen and looked around the Ghost for the elusive teen. I checked the common room, the Phantom, Sabine's room – which she had officially moved into on the top bunk yesterday – and even the turrets. And yet, I couldn't find the girl anywhere.

While passing through the hall for the third time, I walked past Sabine as she absentmindedly worked on her new painting. Surprisingly, she had expanded her colour pallets from the common blues, oranges and tans, and was now using deep, rich browns and golden sun yellows. Right now she was painting a sunset, a familiar shade of orange bleeding into the light blue sky as the sun set over the horizon.

I smiled. It was good to see her back at her art again.

"Looks good Sabine," I commented.

The girl glanced over her shoulder and shot me a weary grin, replying "Thanks Zeb. Still needs a little something though."

"Hey, I'm looking for Jet. Do you know where she is?" I asked sharply.

"Uh, yeah," she replied, turning back to her painting. "I'm pretty sure she's sitting outside. She likes to go out there to think sometimes."

I nodded and headed down the hall, through the cock-pit and out onto the ramp, glancing around at the Lothalian fields. The breeze was gentle and the sun was high, and surely enough the cloaked teen was lying on the ground across the other side of the clearing.

I approached carefully, being sure not to startle her as I continued forward. And though she didn't move or react, I had a feeling she knew I was there. She was just lounging back with her head resting against her folded arms, the brim of her hood covering her eyes from the blinding sun. But I figured it was actually a _good_ sign if she was unconcerned by my presence.

"Hey Jet," I greeted as I stood beside her. "Hera wanted me to give you this."

The girl lifted her hood slightly, just enough for me to see the corner of her glassy, amber eye. Not a moment later she pushed herself up into a sitting position and brushed the dust off her bare arms.

It was only now that I realised she had removed the bandages from her injured limbs, the scars and the wounds healing, but, still fairly visible against her earthy skin. Even her outfit was different as she sat adorned in a simple pair of shorts, a shirt and her classic brown cloak.

Lowering myself to the ground and offering her the mug, I commented smugly "Hera won't be happy is she finds out you took your bandages off."

Jet, amused somewhat, accepted the beverage gently and replied "What she doesn't know won't kill her."

"And if she finds out?" I smirked.

She chuckled and took a sip of the hot chocolate. "Then what she knows will kill _me_."

I laughed and leant against my arms casually, shifting my gaze to the never-ending fields. It was quite peaceful out here, the rustle of the grass and the wisp of the wind almost rhythmic to the ear. I was starting to understand why Jet liked the outdoors so much. And, the air didn't seem to carry the same… _weight_ , as it did in the Ghost.

But I noticed that as Sabine began to paint, to tease, to _smile_ again, there was a new energy surging back through the walls. It was like a part of the teen's soul had been reignited, and with it, the life of the crew.

Glancing over at Jet, I wondered what she was thinking about. What was really going on inside her head? She was a mystery. A puzzle waiting to be completed. It only made me more curious to know what her story was.

But I knew not to go into that territory. Just like Ezra, I knew it would take a while for her to fully open up.

Jet took a deep breath and sighed, resting her arms against her knees. But, as my eyes scanned over her cuts, I noticed even more on the back of her legs in long, parallel strikes.

I was about to ask her about it, since I could have sworn it was only her arms and back that had been hit, but then I realised. Those scars were far too faded, too _healed_ to be with her most recent battle wounds. They must have been older… which meant…

I flinched, and I reluctantly moved my gaze back to the horizon. It was easier not to think about it, but I could still feel my stomach lurch slightly.

Deciding to break the silence, I spoke softly "It… uh, it's nice out here, huh?'

"Definitely," Jet agreed. "Nothing beats these fields."

"Oh, so you used to come out here often?"

She nodded and reminisced fondly "When I was younger I used to love running around in the grass. I would roll down the hills, jump in the mud, climb rocks. Everything was an adventure to me."

Smirking, I quipped "Really? You, rollin' in the mud?"

She chuckled for a moment, shoving my shoulder as she snapped " _Yes_ , it was my favourite thing to do! Spending my time in these fields made me feel _invincible_. Like… a warm feeling, inside." She paused for a moment, her happiness stilling. And when she continued her voice was softer, subdued. "It was like… nothing would ever go wrong, you know? Everything was perfect. And it made me feel… _special_ …"

I smiled. "It's a good feeling, isn't it?"

Jet glanced over at me curiously, her face still veiled by shadows as she asked "What makes _you_ feel like that?"

I pondered on that for a moment. Until finally, after a few moments, I answered honestly "My crew."

Jet obviously wished for me to elaborate as she watched me with undivided attention. Smirking, I stated "You know, the others weren't always the way they are now. Hera was always bright. Chopper loved his banter. Sabine was nothing less than passionate for justice. Even Kanan used to joke and tease."

The teen scoffed and took another sip of her drink. "Sounds unbelievable," she mused.

I chuckled and added "Yeah, he was a cheeky one Kanan. He was serious when he needed to be, but he also knew sarcasm like the back of his hand."

A heavy silence filled the air as Jet's tone darkened. "And then your friend passed?" she asked quietly.

My smile faded slightly. Suddenly, my mouth felt very dry and I could feel those familiar memories boring downing in my mind. I shook them away rapidly and replied nervously "T-The kid was more than our friend. He was family to all of us. So when we lost him… it was hard on everyone."

She nodded slowly and glanced down at the mug as she gently caressed it in her palms. "I know…" she murmured, her voice soft. "Sabine told me… and… I can't imagine how much he must have meant to all of you…"

My gaze flickered to the soil beneath my feet as a way to distract myself from the flooding emotions. Imagines flashed across my vision, taunting me almost as I remembered that day. Sabine, practically lifeless in the medbay. Kanan, stepping into the dim moonlight with blood smeared across his face. Ezra, laying in his master's arms, pale, limp, _dead_ …

I clenched my eyes shut and turned my head away swiftly, hoping Jet hadn't seen the tears that threatened to form. Pressing my lips together I could feel my muscles tensing, preparing myself to stand up and leave. It was just instinct now. No one talked about Ezra anymore, and if the subject was brought up, it wasn't long until one by one, everyone abruptly turned away and left the room.

But just before I almost pushed myself onto my feet, I felt a soft touch on my forearm.

My eyes shot open in shock, and I remained frozen as the warm hand rested gently against my fur, so gentle and comforting. A tense moment passed, until Jet's voice spoke meekly "Forgive me, I… didn't mean to upset you."

I blinked once, the breeze drifting by as both of us sat in complete silence for a few delayed moments.

What had caused this sudden wave of compassion? What made thick skinned, warrior-like Jet become so passive? Was it the soother pill in her drink? Was it the fresh air? I honestly had no explanation.

Until, tone strained and genuine, Jet murmured "I… I know how much it hurts… to lose someone you love…"

Glancing over my shoulder, it dawned on me that this was the first time I'd ever seen the teen actually vulnerable. Because even when she had come back from the battle with her father, she had still been as strong willed and guarded as ever, perhaps _more_. So to see her so honest and open with me was strange, almost unheard of.

And, I felt something ache within when I realised these insecurities. She was still a living being like the rest of us with her own emotions, fears and past baggage. Sometimes it was easy to forget when you never saw her face, her expression, and unless you could read minds, her mood was almost impossible to know. So sometimes it just took that little reminder, that little hint that there was still a soul behind the cloak.

Jet, the tension now thick, abruptly pulled her hand away from my arm and placed it back around the mug, staring intensely at the liquid that still remained within it. I twisted my body to face her again, watching as her fingers twitched awkwardly and the muscles in her shoulders bounded into tight knots.

Thinking deeply for a moment, I felt the urge to say something. Something that all the crew would agree with, but maybe were never willing to say aloud.

So, inhaling sharply, I stated "Ezra was the life of our crew, so when he died… we did too."

Jet glanced up at me from the corner of her hood, and with a warmth I didn't often feel, I placed my hand on her shoulder and finished "But maybe, you'll help us find ourselves again."

There was a long pause, until after a moment, I felt her muscles loosen under my touch. "Thank you Zeb… for you know, letting me join your crew at all," she started, before adding with a chuckle "You know, even after I stole from you and everything."

I laughed, patting her back gently and smiling "Don't mention it kid. And even though I complained 'bout you that day, know I wouldn't take it back."

I think in that moment something spark inside the girl, her back straightening in pride and her chin raised confidently once more. She shoved my shoulder and snickered "Yeah, who'd pull you and Chopper into line otherwise?"

I grinned, quipping "Is that a challenge?"

"I don't know, is it?" she teased.

"Well then," I started, pushing myself to my feet with a new spring in my step. I offered my hand to the teen and smiled, saying "How about we settle this over a game of Sabacc?"

Jet glanced up at me, and for the slightest moment, the sun shone on her face and brightened her features. And there I saw her smile, small yet joyful, probably for the first time since I'd met her.

My expression softened with a warm glow. "So how 'bout it kid?"

She inclined her head and took my hand, rising gracefully to her feet. "It would be my pleasure…"

And then, as if everything had been put back in order, she added cockily "To totally destroy you in a game of Sabacc."

* * *

 **Super Bomb #3**

 _The Light in the Dark_

 _Remember Me_

 _Lost Chapters_

 _O' Family of Ours_

 ** _There is no Death, There is the Force_**

 _To Mend the Bond_

 _Beasts of Legend_

 _Family Ties_


	13. Shaky Ground

**Hey guys!**

 **Wow, it's been a long time since I updated this story! Well, the good news is I have the next two chapters after this ready and proofread, so I hope you're excited! Will Kanan and Jet finally make up? Guess you'll have to find out!**

 **May the force be with you, always!**

 **-Superherotiger**

* * *

 ** _One week later…_**

Kanan's POV

...

* * *

I walked into the kitchen and glanced at the others carefully, fully expecting their attention to be snapped in my direction per usual.

But, they didn't even notice my presence.

I was shocked to see Zeb, Sabine and Jet engaged in an intense game of cards as they shovelled spoonfuls of cereal into their mouths absent-mindedly. They had their hands well-hidden as they glanced at each other suspiciously from the corner of their eyes, all three holding stoic poker faces.

Zeb suddenly smirked. "Well, must be my lucky day," he snickered as he threw his cards onto the table to show a winning deck. "Sabacc! I win!"

Jet groaned and waved her deck around in frustration as she snapped "Third time in a row?! No fair!"

"Ah, not so fast Jet," Sabine piped up cockily. Both Zeb's and Jet's eyes became entranced on the mandalorian as she delicately revealed her cards to the others.

The Lasat's mouth slacked open in awe while Jet slammed her hand against the table and began laughing hysterically.

"Idiot's Array," Sabine stated, crossing her arms with a triumphant smirk. " _I_ win."

"No way!" Zeb exclaimed.

"Nice one Sabine!" Jet chuckled as he gave her friend a high five. Sabine returned it with a warm smile, the three of them laughing at one another in joy.

It seemed like forever since I'd last seen my crew so happy. I guess it was… _nice_ , to see their light returning.

But it made me somewhat envious.

Where was my chance to laugh, and joke, and _live_ again? I'd lost it all that time ago, back in the caves with Ezra. And yet everyone else was igniting again, so why couldn't I?

My gaze shifted to Jet.

 _She_ had brought them out again. She was slowly, but surely, picking up Zeb and Sabine's broken shards that had been left behind. The teenage girl was piecing them together again, their soul, their _life_.

And yet I had caused myself to be deprived of that opportunity.

Thinking back on it I finally understood Ezra's words to me. His constant reminders to trust Jet, believe in her, _move on_ from my past, but despite all that, I chose to ignore him.

And now Jet wanted _nothing_ to do with me. I'd be the only one of the crew still stuck back in that cave while she pulled the others back onto their feet.

And it was all _my_ fault.

I sighed deeply and walked over to the kitchen bench to make a caf for myself. As I stirred the sugar into the hot liquid the door across the room slid open to reveal our beautiful Twi'lek captain, Chopper at her side. "Alright guys, I have a mission," she announced.

Suddenly the room grew serious as Zeb and Sabine both exploded "A mission!? Really!?"

"Yes, there are a shipment of supplies that are getting delivered today at the Imperial space port on Garel," Hera explained. "It's a simple pick up job. I'm assigning two of you to take the Phantom and retrieve the cargo while the rest of us trade for some extra credits."

Zeb and Sabine glanced at each other once, before scrambling out of the booth and pleading "Hera! You've got to give us this mission!"

"Yeah, we haven't had one in so long we're going stir crazy!" Sabine spoke.

"Come on, this was made for us!" Zeb whined.

Hera's expression softened sympathetically, before she replied "I'm sorry, but I've already assigned two of you."

Both the Lasat and Mandalorian glanced at each other sceptically, before asking "Who?"

The twi'lek seemed almost hesitant to say, but as it was just starting to click in everyone's heads, she announced "Kanan and Jet will be taking this mission."

"WHAT?!" everyone boomed.

"Seriously Hera?" Zeb quizzed harshly. "Those two can't even stand each other let alone have to _work_ _together_."

"Exactly. What's the big idea?" Sabine said.

Hera sighed and pinched the bridge of her nose, before pointing to Jet and I, who were both frozen in shock at this stage, and replied "These two are taking the mission because I'm tired of this ordeal dragging on. If you can't get along in my ship, you don't _stay_ on my ship." Her hardened gaze shifted to me as she added "That stands for you too, mister."

I raised my hands innocently and defended "What did _I_ do? She's the one ignoring me."

"Oh, I wonder why genius," Jet spat acidly.

I winced, before Hera stepped forward and exclaimed " _This_ is what I'm talking about! I'm tired of you two always being at each other's throats!" Turning to Jet, she snapped "You, I want you to stop ignoring Kanan from this moment on. I'm not saying you have to forgive him, I just want you to act _tolerable._ Understood?"

The strong pilot had obviously shown off her authority as Jet bowed her head slightly and replied with a hint of guilt "Yes… Hera…"

"And you," the captain growled as she turned her attention to me. " _You_ need to stop moping around. Dear, I love you, but I _really_ need you to snap into the game again, because I can't keep supporting all of you on my own."

My expression softened at her words, and I nodded in understanding as the room went still. Hera, the frustrations seemingly vented out, sighed deeply and spoke with a calmer tone "Guys, I'm sorry, but there needs to be some changes around here. I don't care if you're not friends, but you are still part of this _crew_. So just… _try_ to work together, okay?"

Jet and I nodded simultaneously, causing Hera to smile faintly as she started "Okay then. I'll be steering the ship off ground soon so we can head to Garel. You all better be ready by the time we land. Any questions?"

No answer.

"Good. Then let's go people."

* * *

I sat at the edge of my bed, eyes closed, meditating.

I was trying to clear my mind so I was ready for what was ahead, but I just couldn't focus. My thoughts constantly kept drifting back to the idea that Jet and I had been paired up for this mission. It was going to be… _interesting_ , to say the least.

And yes, I understood Hera's reasoning, but we were just like poison together.

How were we supposed to move on if she wouldn't even accept my apologies? It was a hopeless cause really.

Opening my teal eyes slowly, my vacant gaze fixed onto Ezra's helmet, dusty and worn. Hesitantly, I stood up and made my way to the bench, before carefully picking up the piece and lifting it till we were eye level. My eyes glazed over the fine work, remembering the sparky boy that used to wear it with a confident gleam. The memories made me smile, but it also caused a freezing, empty sensation in my chest, tears welling in the corners of my eyes. "I'm sorry Ezra," I murmured, staring deep into the shadowed visor. I pressed my forehead against the hard metal and whispered softly " _For everything…"_

I was snapped out of my trance when I felt the floor vibrate, the hum of the Ghost's engines sounding as we were beginning to lift off. Placing Ezra's helmet back on the bench I decided to leave the quiet and calm of my cabin. Once I'd stepped into the hall, I began making my way for the common room, when suddenly I bumped into someone.

My eyes widened when I realised it was Jet, immediately saying "Sorry, sorry! I didn't mean to-"

She held up her hand to cut me off, but I noticed there was something… _odd_ , about our youngest member. Her back was hunched and her hands were shuddering slightly, her body swaying with the motions of the ship. I frowned, about to ask if she was okay when I suddenly felt the ship lurch as Hera propelled us forward.

The inertia had caused Jet to lose balance as she accidentally stumbled into me again, but this time, she grabbed onto my arms tightly to stabilise herself. Her grip was like iron as her fingernails dug into the fabric of my jumpsuit, trying not to wince as my arms became numb. I felt the Ghost starting to tilt as we ascended into the upper atmosphere, but the further we went the more Jet was becoming distraught.

I could sense it in her, the fear and confusion swirling with each second we went higher as she made a strange grinding sound with her teeth. I decided it better not to say anything, and instead just raised my hands and placed them on her shoulders gently to stop her body from swaying as much.

We stayed like that for a few tense minutes, Jet seemingly not aware of my presence while she was lost in her own little world.

But once we levelled out and I realised we were in space again, Jet's breathing began to even as her grip slowly but surely loosened. Her shoulders relaxed and she sighed deeply, glancing up at me with a dazed brown eye, the other still covered with a patch. She looked confused. Like she couldn't even recall what had just happened.

But then, the fog cleared from her vision and she suddenly jumped back, slapping my hands away with a growl. "W-What's going on?!" she demanded skittishly.

"Uh, maybe _you_ should tell _me_ ," I replied. "You grabbed my arms as the ship was lifting off."

"What? Uh… d-did I?" she stuttered awkwardly, rubbing the back of her head. "I-I… um…"

My face shifted into a concerned frown, reaching out for her as I asked "Jet, are you oka-"

She twisted away and muttered "F-Fine… I… i-it's just the first time I've ever left Lothal."

"Really?"

She nodded, almost hesitantly, before abruptly turning for the common room door and pacing away without another word. The door shut behind her as I just watched with wide eyes, staring at where she had once been in shock. I had no idea what had just happened, but it would seem for once Jet was just as clueless as me…

* * *

 **Super Bomb #4**

 _The Light in the Dark_

 _Remember Me_

 _Lost Chapters_

 _O' Family of Ours_

 ** _There is no Death, There is the Force_**

 _To Mend the Bond_

 _Beasts of Legend_

 _Family Ties_


	14. Hunted

**Hey guys!**

 **Sorry for taking so long to update! I know it's been** ** _forever_** **since the last chapter! Funny story actually, I almost uploaded the chapter three instalments ahead of this one because I'd forgotten where I was up to XD Lucky I caught the mistake before I posted it and left you guys desperately trying to figure out what had happened! That could have been bad XD**

 **But anyways, thanks so much for all your support guys, and I hope you enjoy the chapter! May the force be with you, always!**

 **-Superherotiger**

* * *

…

Kanan's POV

* * *

"Hera, you're absolutely sure about this?" I whispered softly. "You know she hates me."

The Twi'lek smiled and cupped her palms around my face, leaning close and replying warmly "You and Jet will be _fine_. I'm sure of it."

I shot her a guilty look, pressing my hand against hers as I nuzzled into her warm touch. "I wish I was as confident as you," I teased softly.

"Trust me Hun," she soothed with her honey-like voice. "Everything is going to work out. I promise."

I stared deep into her emerald eyes and smiled, before she, to my great displeasure, slid her hands away from my face. Stepping back the Twi'lek then faced the teen who had just entered the room, giving her a gentle expression and placing her hand on her shoulder. Jet glanced up at her with a wide gaze as the captain spoke "You be careful out there."

Jet nodded her head, replying firmly "Always."

Cautiously, Hera pulled back the brim of the teen's hood, just enough for the light to hit her normally shadowed features. There, over Hera's shoulder, I could see her young face, her eye covered in a sterile patch. And if you looked hard enough, you could just see the ends of the scar winding out from the edges of the cloth. I immediately felt sick at the sight.

My mistake. Her punishment…

Hera brushed loose hairs away from Jet's face and smiled, saying warmly "Maybe tomorrow, if you're feeling up to it, we can try taking the cloth off?"

Jet pursed her lips with uncertainty, asking "You… think it's healed enough?"

"Sure," Hera replied optimistically. "You'll hardly even notice it."

I sensed the teen's scepticism almost levelling mine as we both took the comment with a grain of salt. I'd seen the wound when it first happened, and like Hera had told me the day she bandaged it, that scar was going to stay with her for the rest of her life…

Shaking my head, I stated "We should probably get going. We don't want to miss the shipment."

"Alright you two," Hera said, tugging Jet's hood back down so she was hidden again. "Get the crates and meet us back at the Ghost. Chopper will have all the co-ordinates already."

"Will do," Jet said, walking past me and entering the Phantom.

I stepped backwards towards the ladder and asked again "Too late to turn back?"

Hera shook her head, her lekku swinging hypnotically as she repeated "Remember what I told you Kanan."

"And what was that?" I quizzed.

She smiled with a hopeful twinkle in her eye.

"Everything is going to work out."

* * *

...

* * *

Jet and I walked side by side in sheer silence, neither of us even acknowledging the other's presence.

It was an uncomfortable tension, one I often felt but never to this magnitude. I didn't even have Chopper to try and talk to, as he had elected to stay and guard the Phantom where we had parked it. And I didn't blame the rust bucket.

Because even though the markets were teeming with life and activity, and noise was all around us, the emptiness between Jet and I was almost suffocating. I was tempted to say something, but I never really had enough nerve to actually pronounce the words aloud. Hence we both just stayed quiet the whole way to the hangar bay.

As we walked through the corridors, searching for bay fifteen, it was actually _Jet_ who broke the silence by stating "Sabine's been sleeping better lately."

My eyes shot open in shock, before in trying to play it off, I engaged "Oh, that's good to hear. No nightmares recently?"

"No, no. There was only one, about five days ago. But besides that she's been pretty good," Jet replied.

"Cave or medbay?" I questioned.

"Medbay," Jet answered simply. "But she was fine once I assured her we were all okay."

I nodded, a quick pause passing between us until the girl asked suddenly "Did… those happen to her often?"

I shrugged my shoulders, saying "It was a regular occurrence. Back when it first happened, none of us knew about it because she was too stubborn to tell us. She tried to hide it, but eventually she confessed about her nightmares and from then on one of us always stayed with her. But I guess that day still haunts her."

"Yeah… I get that…" Jet murmured under her breath, maybe not expecting me to hear it.

Sealing my lips together, I felt a question burning in my throat. I mentally warred over whether or not to ask, knowing that if I did it was almost destined to end in disaster. _Come on, don't say it. She's actually talking to you right now, don't-_

"You're obviously itching to say something Kanan, so why don't you just spill it," Jet said sternly as we turned a corner.

I rubbed the back of my neck nervously, not sure how she would react, until she pushed again "Kanan, you know I won't answer if I don't want to. So hurry up and say-"

"What happened to your mother?" I blurted, immediately regretting the words once they'd left my mouth.

Jet froze in place, her presence going cold. I winced and awaited an onslaught of rage as her hands balled into tight fists. But, to my ever-growing shock, she continued forward and growled passively "No comment."

I blinked rapidly, before running after her and saying "R-Right. Of course, I completely understa-"

Suddenly I was jerked to the side, Jet grabbing my wrist and pulling me to behind a wall of crates. I was about to ask what she was doing when she suddenly pressed her finger against her lips in a simple _'shh'_ gesture. Then, she pointed over one of the crates and signalled for me to look.

I shuffled forward and glanced over the edge, before my gaze settled on the big cargo doors saying 'BAY 15'. But, stationed in front of it were four Stormtroopers, guarding the entrance of the sealed and locked bay.

Frowning, I turned back to Jet as she hissed "Hera said there wouldn't be anyone here. What about the plan?"

"It seems the plan's changing," I murmured. Gesturing to the guards, I stated "We'll need to get them away long enough to get the supplies."

"Or we knock them out," Jet suggested. "If I get close enough I could easily take them down."

"Yeah? And how do you plan to get there without setting off the alarms?" I quizzed.

"Well, feel free to throw out some ideas, _master Jedi_ ," she retorted icily.

Glaring at her from the corner of my eye, I instead glanced over at the hall directly across from us. There I saw a trooper pushing an empty crate lift in the direction of Bay 15, presumably to pick up the supplies we had come for. A small grin pulled at my lips as a plan formulated in my head.

I turned to Jet, who watched me with crossed arms, and said "Time to put that iron grip of yours to use."

* * *

Shifting awkwardly in the ill-fitting Stormtrooper suit, I took a deep breath to stabilise myself.

The helmet made me feel constricted, and to be honest, a little bit queasy as my heartrate sped up. I tried to tell myself that I was okay, that there was no need to panic. But the thought of being trapped in this tight suit sent all my nerves on edge.

"C'mon Kanan, we don't have all day," Jet's voice hissed.

I shook my head and grabbed hold of the hover platform, making sure to nudge the unconscious trooper out of view before pushing it in the direction of Bay 15. As I steadied my mind we approached the four troopers, one of them stepping forward and scolding "It's about time you got here. Load up those crates and be on your way."

"Sir yes sir," I replied sternly, giving a quick salute before pushing the cart forward.

The other troopers opened the large hangar doors, the reinforced metal pulling away as I steered the cart towards the stack of crates in the middle of the hangar. Once I was a little further away, I glanced over my shoulder to check if they were watching, but to my great relief they had gone back to facing the main entrance.

I pulled up beside the supplies and quickly jerked the helmet off, taking deep breaths to calm myself. There was a gentle thud from under the cart, before Jet rolled into view and pushed herself onto her feet. She coughed and dusted her shoulders off in disgust, scowling "Next time, _you_ can be the one to cling to the bottom of a hover cart."

"Let's just get the supplies and get out of here," I whispered. "We don't want them becoming-"

There was a loud noise from behind as the hangar doors we had just entered began to close again. "Uh, Kanan, I don't think that was part of the plan," Jet said nervously.

"No, it wasn't."

 _SLAM!_

The doors released a pressurised hiss as they sealed together, trapping us inside.

"Kanan," Jet murmured softly, her tone strained. "What's going-"

Suddenly I was kicked forward, falling to the hard cement floor with a grunt as the world spun around me. "Kanan!" Jet's voice called. Quickly, I twisted around to see the figure that had attacked, my gaze settling on a male adorned in scrappy armour and a worn down, dented helmet. In his right hand was a blaster, and on his belt strap hung multiple bombs and other bits of equipment I couldn't identify.

He was circling Jet, prowling like an animal as Jet mirrored his actions, holding her inactive whip at her side. She growled at the man, spitting "Bounty hunter scum."

I jumped onto my feet and snatched my blaster, quickly aiming it for the man's head. He glanced over at me and snickered, stating "I didn't come here to fight you. I came here, _for the girl_."

"Well you can't have her," I snapped, taking my place at Jet's side as I raised one arm protectively in front of her.

The bounty hunter laughed, before he explained "That one's father paid me a handsome price for the return of his daughter. I do plan to collect."

"You'll have to get through _me_ first," I snarled.

He shrugged nonchalantly, saying "If you say so."

He pulled something off his belt and threw it at us quickly, Jet on instinct pushing me away as she jumped to the side. But we still didn't make it to the clear as the bomb exploded mid-air, the force of it pushing me away another few meters while the heat wave charred my exposed skin. I hissed in pain, the entire side of my face stinging as I tried to get to my feet again.

I'd lost my gun in the chaos, but I grabbed my lightsaber instead and glanced over at where Jet had been.

But that's when everything froze.

Dazed by the explosion, Jet sat up with a groan, rubbing her head sluggishly. And speeding at her with lightning speed was the bounty hunter, two blades clutched in his palms.

Instinct caught me off guard as I propelled myself to my feet with an energy I hadn't felt in years, just as quickly sprinting towards the two. The surroundings blurred, my mind focused and my eyes fixed. I saw it all a moment before it happened.

Jet, finally recovered from the blast turned to her hunter with horror as she remained defenceless, while the masked figure leapt, his daggers poised for a strike.

That was until, mid-swing, a flash of blue blared across my vision.

Everything was white for a moment, my senses fading, before ever so slowly figures and colours returned to my sight. I blinked rapidly to rid the black dots from my eyes, shaking my head as I turned to the voice calling my name. My gaze shifted to the ground as I narrowed my eyes, a familiar face focusing through the blur.

"Kanan!" Jet's voice yelled.

At her voice I snapped back to reality and stumbled backwards, finally taking in the events that had just occurred.

In a flash, I had swiped my blade at the hunter, cutting both his blades in half and slicing a decent trail up the side of his mask. And judging from the fact he had jumped away while holding his face in agony, I could only assume I'd caught more than just the metal.

My gaze immediately flickered back to Jet as she pushed herself to her feet, her eyes wide and distraught. "Y-You just… how did you… I almost…" she stuttered, too flustered to form a proper sentence.

My grip tightened around my blade subconsciously as I stared at the girl with wide eyes. It had all happened so fast. I couldn't even be sure what I had done in the moment. Maybe it was just adrenaline. Or sheer instinct from protecting my crew over the years.

Or maybe the fear of losing her again…

I shook the thought from my head and put my mind back on track. Now wasn't the time to feel guilty. We needed to get out alive first and foremost.

"So what's the plan?" Jet asked as she activated her whip and swung it through the air. "We going to finish him?"

"No, we're going to run for it," I replied swiftly, grabbing her wrist and dragging her along as I began to sprint back towards the door.

Jet scowled and shrugged from my grasp, though still following as she spoke icily "Come on, we can take him!"

"Doesn't matter," I said sternly, my brows furrowing. "He's after you, and he's got the ammunition to do it!"

"What about the supplies?!"

"Forget them!"

"Kanan wait!" she snapped, grabbing my arm and jerking me to a halt.

I twisted to face her, about to argue before she pointed to the crates beside us and stated "I have a plan! Just keep the lowlife away long enough for me to load the supplies to the cart and then we'll just push it straight into the Phantom when Chopper arrives!"

I was tempted to argue, but glancing at the stack of supplies, I winced. We did come out here for a reason, and there was no point returning empty handed. So I guess in a way, it wasn't such a bad idea after all…

A grimace pulled at my lips, until after a few tense moments, I sighed and nodded my head. "Fine," I said hesitantly. "Load up the crates, I'll signal Chopper."

"On it," she grinned, before dashing to the side and gracefully leaping to the top of the crates.

I knew she'd have no trouble in securing the supplies. My part on the other hand, was going to be the tricky one.

Running forward I whipped out my comlink, ordering "Chopper we need a pickup at bay fifteen! The roof is open, glide in and Jet will be ready with the supplies!"

 _"_ _Whr!? Whoop wha whr!?"_ the droid warbled.

"The plan changed!" I snapped in frustration as I began charging towards the recovered bounty hunter. "Now get over here!" With a flick of my wrist I attached the com back to my belt and fixed my gaze on the hunter's idle form.

He was just standing there, motionless.

I bared my teeth in aggression, raising my blade for a strike as I pounced forward in a mighty leap. The wind whipped through my loosened pony tail as I snarled, bringing the beam down in a graceful arc.

Until suddenly, life returned to the stranger's body, the hunter twisting from the range of my blade and instead kicking me mid jump. I was sent backwards, my head reeling as I slammed into hard surface below. The sky above swirled, and in a struggle, I tried to regain control. Finally, my vision focused on a silhouette above, until in haste I rolled away, just in time to miss the sharpened point of his new blade. Jumping to my feet, I glare at the man fiercely as he released a sickening, distorted growl.

"Why defend her, Jedi?" he spat, his tone like acid. "Her father practically rules Lothal! He'll have the whole world out for her head, and yours too!"

"I won't let her go to the likes of _you_ ," I retorted, reaching for my lightsabre, only to find my fingers raking the open air.

"Looking for this?" the man ahead snickered, holding up my weapon like a trophy.

A snarl fixed on my lips as my eyes watched his every move. He was quick, and I needed to keep that in mind if I was ever going to win. If the force were still with me, I could have easily pulled the sabre into my grasp… but that had been ripped away with Ezra, and it's once familiar presence was no longer at my side. No… I'd have to win differently this time.

"It seems the tables have turned," the bounty hunter smirked, his voice brimming with poisonous glee. He attached the hilt to his strap of ammunitions and shifted to a more relaxed position. "I didn't come here to bicker with you though, so I'm afraid now is where our fight ends."

With that, his sleek figure rushed in the direction of the crates.

But he didn't get far, as I had quickly tackled him in his path, slamming his body into the ground and holding him in a tight lock. "Shame, 'cause you're only going to fight _me_ today!" I barked sternly.

"We'll see about that!" the man roared, freeing his arm just enough to elbow me straight in the face and reverse the positions.

I glared up at the male and scowled, grabbing him by the arm and using my free one to punch him in the face. He was knocked back, but his helmet was strong enough to take most of the blow.

Not wasting my opportunity though, I pounced forward and tackled him down once more, the two of us wrestling and punching fierce blows to the gut and face repeatedly. After what seemed like an endless game of back and forth, I caught him by the collar and slammed him with all my might into the floor, producing a sickening metal crack from the helmet. Grabbing his arm, I pulled it to behind his back to keep him pinned, a small bit of blood spitting from my mouth as I hissed "You… _lost_ …"

He struggled in my grasp as I took my lightsabre back from his clutches and held it tightly in my palm, before he sputtered cruelly "So… did you!"

I shot him a puzzled look, before his free hand loosened something from his ammunitions and flung it to my face.

My vision was suddenly engulfed in light as I screamed and scrambled backwards, holding my arms over my face to shield myself from the fire in my eyes. The sound hit me second, a sharp, loud _'BANG!'_ , and a tingling sensation in my face. It took a few moments for the effects to wear off, but by the time I'd realised he'd hit me with a flash bomb my eyes shot open in alarm as I glanced over at the crates to my side, fearful his distraction had been enough to capture Jet.

But that's when I saw her, standing atop the stack of crates with her golden whip glowing at her side. The bounty hunter stood perched below her, growling as he tried to find a clear opening. But every time he stepped too close she cracked the whip, occasionally hitting him on the arm with an electric zap.

I grinned in pride, watching as the teen single-handedly outwitted the strong hunter.

"You have great skill," the figure scowled icily, his patience wearing thin. "You truly are your father's daughter."

"I'd rather _die_ ," she spat as she swung the whip once more, just missing the side of his mask.

The hunter laughed a sickly, menacing chuckle, casually stepping forward as he spoke "You fight well."

Jet, seeing her opportunity, smirked and arched her sizzling weapon for a clean attack of her opponent. It would have easily caught his chest, a clear shot on the approaching figure, until suddenly, he extended his hands and caught the rope mid-swing. Time stopped in place as both Jet and I froze, our eyes going wide in shock as we watched the sparks and jolts of the whip get blocked by his obviously insulated gloves. Jet's skin paled.

"But not good enough," the hunter said, his voice triumphant.

Suddenly, he jerked the cord forward, throwing the girl from the top of the crates as she tumbled to the ground with a pained cry. She rolled over herself, her cloak getting caught as she struggled to focus.

I pushed myself to my feet and sprinted forward, calling desperately "Jet! Watch out! Watch out!"

But she didn't even have time to turn before the bounty hunter jumped to her side and caught her by the hood. With a harsh grip he pulled her to her feet while the teen frantically attempted to escape, throwing punches that never seemed to find its mark. In haste I activated my blade, dashing forward with the same energy I'd felt during his first attack.

But this time, he'd learnt.

He swung his arm over Jet's neck and dragged her back, pinning her to his chest as she roared in protest. "Get off me you low life metal head nerf herder-"

Then, everything stilled with one, simple, motion.

I skidded to a halt and watched with wide, petrified eyes, as Jet, paralysed in place, stared at the blaster resting against her skull. Her gaze flickered to me, her signature an explosion of fear.

"Glad I finally have your attention," the masked man growled, breaking the tense silence. "Now I'm going to say this, loud and clear. We can make this easy, with you putting down your weapon, and allowing me to leave-"

"I won't let that happen," I snarled in both anger and shame.

"Well then," he said nonchalantly.

The blaster cocked, and my heart skipped a beat.

"K-Kanan…" Jet whispered, her voice so frail and shaky. Her eyes flashed with something, something familiar. Something that made my soul go cold. It was the same look she had given me the day I'd given her away, when her Father had held her in his deathly grasp. The look of horror… of unwavering _terror_ …

And with that single look, my fingers loosened around the hilt of my lightsabre, the beam retreating to the base as it fell to the ground with a clatter.

"Good Jedi," the hunter snickered as I became engulfed in defeat.

He pulled his arm away and shoved Jet to the ground, her hands grinding into the floor as she released a hostile grunt. I watched her with a pained expression, until suddenly, the figure raised his gun at her fallen body.

"NO!"

 _BANG!_

For a moment, I felt my entire world shatter at once as Jet screamed and collapsed to the floor.

But it was only when I realised he'd set the gun to stun, and not kill, that my lungs kicked back into gear. I released a weary sigh, my eyes still wide and my heartbeat racing.

Casually, the bounty hunter holstered his gun and picked up Jet's limp form, throwing her over his shoulder as if she were just loose cargo. He shot me one, icy look, before activating a button on his wrist. A thick tension filled the ensuing minutes as the two of us stood still, watching… _focused_ on each other's move. Until suddenly, the purr of an engine broke the deafening silence.

"Careful Jedi," the man called as a shadow cast over the hangar bay. "One wrong move, and I'll make sure the next shot isn't on stun."

I glared at him in hatred, but my muscles remained paralysed in terror for our youngest member. What was I to do? She was defenceless, in the clutches of the enemy, and with a leader incapable of protecting her…

I shifted my gaze to the descending ship, the ramp of its sleek hull sliding open as it hovered over the ground. The hunter strolled forward, scooping up Jet's fallen whip and inspecting it curiously. Then, he glanced over at me with a devious smile. "A pleasure doing business with you," he snickered as he twirled the golden hilt with ease. And then, without a single concern, he jumped to the ramp and continued inside, Jet in tow.

The door lifted once the two were out of view, and the moment it sealed shut, I snatched my sabre and immediately whipped out my comlink, barking "Chopper! A bounty hunter got Jet! Get the Phantom here _now_!"

 _"_ _Whhr?! Whr wh brr whrrr?!"_ he retorted.

" _No_ , it wasn't my fault again!"


End file.
